


Two minutes to midnight

by koukacs



Category: Digimon - All Media Types, Digimon Adventure, Digimon Adventure Zero Two | Digimon Adventure 02
Genre: AU, Gen, OCs - Freeform, characters that cross universes, sequel to knowledge wisdom truth, there's violence but I'm not sure it can be considered graphic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-17
Updated: 2016-10-05
Packaged: 2018-06-09 03:20:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 30,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6887761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koukacs/pseuds/koukacs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A boy who lost everything crossed universes so he could have his family back, no matter the cost. It doesn't take long to Koushiro to realize the stranger's interest in his parents. The Digital World is on the edge of a tragedy not seen since the Dark Age. A mysterious force manipulates all the pieces in the chessboard and its goal is related to the very existence of Homeostasis.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rise of the wicked

**Author's Note:**

> don't own digimon.

**Chapter 1: Rise of the wicked**

There was a citadel in the North of the Server Continent. It was surrounded by a great wall whose top touched the clouds. Outsiders weren't welcomed there and only a few Digimon knew the name of the place. One day, however, the gates of the citadel were opened and an army composed of various vaccine and data types Digimon marched to the outside world. As the warriors reached the first village, located in a forest, they asked the leader of the village to gather every virus type Digimon in the vicinity. Given the difference in power, the leader, a Jureimon, did as he was asked.

The virus type Digimon were confused and inquired why they were brought there. Without an explanation, the army attacked and murdered them mercilessly, including Jureimon. The reminiscent Digimon were in shock.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" A Floramon questioned in horror as the leader of the village was being set on fire. The commander of the army, a male angel Digimon wrapped in pink fabric, responded:

"We are purifying this village."

"Piddomon-sama!" a Knightmon addressed the Commander. "We are done with this village. We should move."

"Yes." Piddomon replied. Floramon wouldn't let them go that easily.

"WHO ARE YOU? WHY DID YOU ATTACK MY FRIENDS?!"

"Be careful." The angel advised. "Befriending viruses is a grave sin. You don't want to be an enemy of the Sacred Society."

"Sin is what you are doing!" Floramon accused. The angel swung his staff and attacked the female Digimon, making her fly several meters before hitting the ground with violence. Piddomon turned to his subordinates and ordered:

"This village is clearly full of traitors. Kill every single Digimon in this place."

Floramon could hear the screams of her comrades being massacred. In impotence, she cried profusely under the shade of a tree. When the screams stopped and she heard several steps in the distance, Floramon knew everything was over. The flower Digimon could feel her life force slipping away.

It was with great surprise that she saw a figure appear and sit next to her. Floramon's sight was dizzy, but she could tell that whoever was in front of her wore a white mask without any holes for the eyes or to breathe.

"What happened?" The voice of that individual was masculine and deep.

"They killed everybody. That angel and his army… all my friends are dead…" Floramon's voice cracked.

"Angel?" The stranger inquired in a dark tone.

"Piddomon… he was from a Sacred Society… and is off to kill virus Digimon and those who befriend them…" Floramon was feeling weaker. "Please, avenge my village. You are a warrior, right?"

"I was called that a long time ago. Nowadays I am simply a Merchant." The figure replied. Floramon died right after hearing those words. The Merchant stood up and wiped the dirt from his black robe. _It has begun,_ _he thought_ _._

Meanwhile, in the Real World, a boy was standing in front of an apartment building in Odaiba. He wore a white jacket over a black shirt along with large brown pants and black snickers. His hair was black and curly, his eyes were light brown. His height was average for a person who should be around 15 years old. The boy stared at the building with eyes full of pain and sadness. Absorbed in that action, he didn't realize when a red-haired boy left the said building in a hurry and bumped into him. They both fell to the ground.

"I-I am so deeply sorry!" The redhead apologized humbly, offering his right hand to help the other boy to stand up. "I should have looked to where I was going but I am in an emergency and had to go to a place the fastest I could… a-are you alright?"

The polite boy asked the other when he noticed big tears falling from those brown eyes.

"Did I hurt you? I am so sorry!" Worry was spread in the red-haired boy's face.

"I'm great. Fantastic!" The one with black hair replied quickly, grabbing the other's hand more fiercely than necessary and standing up. His eyes were irradiating in that instant deep happiness and his lips trembled as they formed a big smile. The redhead felt a little uncomfortable, unable to understand why the other was looking at him like that.

"Say… do you have any idea who I am?" The stranger questioned, wiping his tears with the back of his left hand (the other was still holding the red-haired boy's hand). There was a mixture of fear and hope in his brown eyes.

"I am sorry, I don't remember you." The other replied, noticing the heart-breaking expression the inquirer had after he heard those words. "Perhaps you are mistaking me for someone else. My name is Izumi Koushiro."

"I am glad to meet you." He replied almost inaudibly.

Koushiro suddenly remembered that he had to hurry to Taichi's place. He let go of the boy's hand and began to walk. "I am so sorry, I really need to go. I hope we see each other again soon…"

"I attend by Katsura Shinsuke."

"I hope we meet again, Katsura-san!" Koushiro waved his hand as he ran. Shinsuke looked at the hand that had been grabbing Koushiro's. _His hand was so warm._

When Koushiro arrived at the Yagami residence, he found Taichi, Hikari, Myako, Daisuke, Takeru, Iori and Ken there, along with their partners (minus Agumon).

"What happened in the Digital World?" The computer genius asked.

"Agumon sent us a S.O.S!" Taichi answered; the concern towards his partner was clear in his tone of voice. "Villages are being attacked in the Digital World. Virus type Digimon are being killed by an army leaded by an angel."

"Angel?" Koushiro asked astonished.

"We couldn't believe it either." Hikari sighed in sadness. "Why would someone do such a horrible thing?"

"We have a new enemy already, better start moving." Myako said. Ken was looking at Wormmon with worried eyes.

"What's the problem, Ken-chan?" The green monster asked.

"You are a virus type, right? It's going to be dangerous for you."

"You don't need to worry about me, Ken-chan. As long as I'm with you, everything will be okay." Wormmon had a confident and cheerful tone that made Ken smile and calm down a little.

"We won't let anything bad happen to Wormon, don't worry." Daisuke assured Ken.

"I know." Ken's smile was now bigger. Of course he didn't have reasons to worry. Wormmon could count on him and the others, and the boy wouldn't let anything bad happen to his precious partner. Ken couldn't avoid to be constantly haunted by the memories of his days as the Kaiser. Just by remembering what he had done to Wormmon, who had always been loyally by his side despite his actions, made Ken feel disgusted at himself. No matter how much he had changed or how big was the support he had received, the guilt would never completely vanish from his heart. Myako noticed Ken's distress and wished to help him somehow. She held her digivice in front of the computer screen and said her characteristic encouraging line "Digital Gate: open! Chosen children, let's roll!" The gate in the computer of the house was opened and they were all transported to the Digital World.


	2. The return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wizarmon is brought back to life.

**Chapter 2: The return**

Impmon had walked alone in the desert for hours. Barbamon had been destroyed and he no longer had a mission to fulfill. The little black Digimon was in search of the Society from where his late master had come. The events in the sanctuary were still vivid in his mind just as the discovery he had made about his true identity. In the silence of the night, Impmon heard a strange noise.

"Pi. Pi. Pi."

The black creature turned around and saw a Digimon who looked like a pink ball with wings. The strange being waved his free hand – the one that was not holding a little spear - to Impmon and introduced himself.

"I am Piximon, a friend of your Master."

"You knew Master Taomon?" Impmon was startled by that information. "Are you from the Society?"

"I'm quite important there." Piximon replied, studying the black Digimon with attention. "You could say I work on the field. I used to correspond with Taomon oftenly."

"I'm sorry to tell you this…" Impmon was hesitant, "… but Master Taomon died."

"I know that." Piximon's voice had a grave tone and he stared sadly at the horizon for a couple of seconds. "I have been keeping an eye on you from the distance. I know everything that happened."

Piximon walked slowly toward Impmon, brandishing his small spear. "I also know who you really are."

Impmon barely had time to jump and avoid the attack, but the explosion of the pixi bomb sent him flying anyway. Hurt, he couldn't manage to ask anything and stayed lying on the sand, defenseless. Piximon didn't seem especially happy about his attempt to kill Impmon.

"I didn't want to do this to my friend's student. But I can't let a Demon Lord walk away."

"I'm not Beelzemon anymore!" The black Digimon cried in despair. "I can't even remember being that monster! Please, believe me!"

"I'm sorry." Piximon apologized as he prepared another attack. Impmon was in panic.

_This can't end like this! I haven't gone through all that just to die pointlessly here! I refuse to die here!_

The Virus type Digimon had a vision, or was it a memory? He saw himself, Impmon, tied to a pole in the ocean. The waves were about to cover his head. He had already given up on his struggle and closed his eyes, waiting for death to come to get him. He then felt a presence close to his body and opened his eyes once again. Shocked, the Digimon saw a child angel floating in his front, cross-legged, a few centimeters above the water. He had a gentle smile.

"Those merciless Vaccine and Data put you in this situation, didn't they? Killing because of an attribute must be the ultimate act of ignorance." The angel spoke in a disgusted tone.

"You look like the type of Digimon who did this to me!" Impmon spitted angrily. "What do you want? Did you come here to entertain yourself, you sick bastard?"

"I'm here to save you." The angel said with benevolence. "I've done this before with others in your situation. They are my comrades now. Would you like to work with me?"

"Why would I agree to work with a Vaccine or whatever you are? I have a little bit of pride, you know?"

"I understand pride better than anyone." The angel answered, beaming. "I can give you great power, Impmon. A power that will never leave you, for you to use as you please."

_Power?_ Impmon couldn't hide his deepest desire. If he had power, he wouldn't have been defeated and put in that pole to die. He could hunt the heartless monsters that did that to him. He could have revenge on every Data and Vaccine Digimon in that world.

"I can grant you immense power, Impmon." The child angel caressed the Virus's face with delicacy. "Enough power to destroy and kill to your heart's content. Do you want that?"

"Yes!" Impmon spoke with fierce determination irradiating from his eyes. "Give me power!"

Piximon was hit by lightning and forced to retrocede a few steps. In deep horror, he saw a Wizarmon getting up from the sand. _He… evolved!_

The now mage Data Digimon was trembling. _This power… this is…_

" _You are now my slaughter machine"_

"NO! NO! I DON'T WANT THIS! I DON'T WANT TO BE THAT AGAIN!" Wizarmon screamed, holding his head and falling to his knees. "Master Taomon… help me… someone… HELP ME!"

_I must finish this now!_ Piximon thought. However, Wizarmon suddenly fell unconscious on the sand. Behind him, there was someone wearing a white mask completely hiding his body in large black clothes, boots, gloves, coat with a hood and scarf. The fairy Digimon didn't show surprise.

"I haven't seen you in a long time. What are you doing here?" Piximon questioned.

"I've just erased his memory completely. Wizarmon won't be a problem for you or that Society." The masked man replied without emotion.

"Why are you helping him?" Piximon asked, finding the other's actions suspicious.

"Don't worry; he'll die soon in the real world. I am simply assuring that Beelzemon will never be born again."

"Do you really think I'm going to trust you?" Piximon asked in a deep serious tone.

"Do you think you can stop me?" The other made sure to sound threatening.

The two of them studied each other for several minutes, without making any move.

"If you stay in this dangerous path, kid, you will just hurt yourself even more." Piximon adviced; he had sadness in his voice.

"I'm no longer a kid. You better refer to me as Merchant. But no need for you to worry; I can't hurt myself anymore. There's nothing left in me that isn't already broken."

When Wizarmon woke up, he was alone and had no memory about whom he was. He didn't have anywhere to go, so the mage walked aimlessly until he collapsed from thirst and fatigue. He would have died if a cat Digimon hadn't appeared in his front and offered him a bowl of water.

**Four years later.**

Wizardmon opened his eyes and stood up in a jump. He was on the roof of Fuji TV. He knew he had died there. He looked at his body, perplexed, and touched it cautiously. He also noticed he was carrying his magic staff in the right hand. _I'm alive. How can I be alive? Digimon who die in the real world are not supposed to ever be reborn. I don't think I can call this being reborn. I came back as Wizarmon, it's more like a resurrection. I don't understand what's happening._

"I brought you back to life." A male voice announced. Wizarmon turned his head to the right and saw what looked like a grown man wearing a mask and black clothes covering his entire body. "I am the Merchant. Does the name ring a bell?"

"Should it?" Wizarmon questioned.

"Well, I took your memories away from you, then it's expected that you don't remember me." The Merchant explained calmly, not missing the astonished look in the mage's eyes.

"My memories? You mean my memories from before I met Tailmon?! You took them from me? Why?" Wizarmon was getting tense.

"Don't worry, I'm going to return them to you. First, though, I would like to make a deal." The Merchant got closer to Wizarmon.

"I don't believe I can trust you." The Data Digimon replied.

"How ungrateful of you." The Merchant accused in a fake offended tone. "I'm the one who brought you back to life!"

"I'm knowledgeable of magic enough to know that to bring a Digimon who died in the real world back to life is a crime against nature! Someone who does this cannot be trusted!" Wizarmon felt anger and disgust shaking his body.

"How do you know these things?" The man in black questioned, faking curiosity. He knew the answer for that question.

"I… don't know." Wizarmon now was feeling extremely uncomfortable. _How on Earth do I know this? I don't remember learning it during the time I spent with Tailmon. Could it be from before that?_

"It's a good offer the one I have for you. You can meet your feline friend and help her as many times as you want in any way you want. I have no interest in fighting the so-called chosen children. Once I give your memories back, you can share as much information as you like. In exchange, you'll have to do a few tasks for me." The stranger let a bit of enthusiasm show in his voice. "I suggest you make your choice quickly. Currently, your friend is in danger and a little help from you would be welcomed."

"Tailmon is in danger?" Wizarmon trembled in fear and concern. "What's happening? How can I help her?"

"Once you remember your past, you'll find a way." The Merchant extended his arm to touch Wizarmon's forehead. "Do we have an agreement?"

Unable to find another solution for the situation, Wizarmon shook his head, whispering 'yes.' And then he remembered everything.

The strong scent of blood.

The fire.

The desperate screams of those who begged for their lives.

And above all there was that angelic voice that guided him every day.

" _You are now my slaughter machine"_

To which he always responded with pride.

" _Yes, Lucemon-sama."_

The wound in Wizarmon's heart would never heal, now that he remembered he had been the Demon Lord of Gluttony. No matter how many tears escaped from his eyes, his sins would never be washed away.


	3. The meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chosen children face a new threat.

**Chapter 3: The meeting**

"This is terrible." Hikari spoke as she and the others looked at what was once a big village known as Cuppie. The place had once been famous for its bakery and kind-hearted inhabitants, but now all that was visible was heaps of charred wood and rubble. There wasn't a single Digimon in sight. Agumon and Tentomon had waited for the chosen children outside of Cuppie and told them what had happened.

"The rumors were spreading fast and everybody was in panic. The army led by the angel could appear at any minute, so Virus Digimon are running away from their homes everywhere. We've heard stories that the villagers who helped them escape in any way were being punished as traitors… and the punishment was especially cruel if they were Vaccine or Data." Agumon narrated. The children and their partners had signs of disturbance and distress on their faces.

"So… the Digimon in Cuppie tried to protect their friends and were murdered?" Iori questioned, upset.

"On the way here we met a Gazimon. He was hysterically crying and couldn't stop trembling. He was the one who told us what happened." Tentomon explained. "He said that he had been attacked by his friends… the Vaccine and Data from the village had begun the purge before the arrival of the army, in fear of retaliation. That Gazimon had managed to escape… but his wounds were too severe. He didn't survive."

Agumon and Tentomon noticed how their listeners had frowned and paled. Ken instinctively hugged Wormon against his body. Taichi clenched his fists and shook in fury.

"They… they killed their own friends?" The old leader couldn't accept that.

"It's unbelievable what fear can make to someone." Hikari sighed, anguished.

Tailmon suddenly heard a sound and looked up; she was paralyzed by what she saw.

"What's wrong?" V-mon asked, also glancing at the sky. A big and black bird Digimon, with a golden beak and three legs, was flying above them.

"That's a Yagataramon! A perfect level Vaccine!" Tailmon shouted. The black bird landed a few feet away from the children and greeted them politely:

"The Society thanks you for your efforts in protecting this world." He then glanced at the remains of the Cuppie Village. "It looks like my job has been done already."

"You!" Iori couldn't contain himself. "What do you think you are doing? What is that Society and why are you murdering innocent Digimon? It's unforgivable!"

"The Society is doing a noble service to this world. We are freeing it of its evil definitely!" The perfect level replied, prideful.

"You mean Viruses!" Myako accused.

"All Viruses are rotten and evil abominations and must be destroyed, especially now. But it doesn't seem that you'll ever understand that. No matter how many times we tell you the truth, you will keep fooling yourselves." Yagataramon sighed slightly annoyed. No one else understood what he meant.

"This is the first time we talk to someone from the Society." Hikari stated. "What are you trying to tell us?

"Soon enough, it won't matter." Yagataramon opened his wings as his voice became louder. "You will once more listen to the Word."

"Guys, you have to evolve!" Daisuke shouted, but the digivices didn't react.

"W-what?" Myako asked in confusion.

"A holy device can never be used against the Sacred Society." Yagataramon pronounced those words with delight. "If only you could remember, you wouldn't embarrass yourselves every time!"

 _Why does he keep implying that this is not the first time we've met?_ Koushiro was trying to deduce the answer for that mystery. _Could it be that we have been brainwashed? Have we fought the Society before but they erased or modified our memories? But why would they do that? Wouldn't it be easier to just kill us? Do they need us alive for some reason?_

Suddenly, Yagataramon was hit by lightning coming from the sky. When the chosen children and Digimon looked up, they were speechless, Tailmon above them all. As that Digimon landed in their front, facing the black bird, and shook his staff threateningly, the cat could feel her eyes getting wet and her insides warming up.

"Wizarmon?" She asked softly, hopeful and afraid.

The mage didn't turn to face her, it's was too difficult for him. If he hadn't learned about his past, Wizarmon wouldn't hesitate in properly greeting his best friend and hugging her tightly. But at that moment, he didn't feel like he deserved any affection from her. He didn't deserve anything good after the atrocities he had committed.

"Is it you? Wizarmon? My Wizarmon?"

Tailmon's questions were hurting the mage. How could he let her in that situation of not knowing whether the Digimon in her front was or not her friend? He could still hear her thoughts, he never stopped doing so, even knowing that it made her upset. But Tailmon had always been his ray of light since the time he didn't understand why he needed light more than anything in the world. Wizarmon couldn't deny her the truth.

"It's me, Tailmon. I'm here to protect you."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Yagataramon sounded like he was finding something amusing. "You can't be… on the name of the Bloody Lord, you are-"

"If you know, then you should leave this place immediately!" Wizarmon interrupted him. His eyes were severe and pierced the enemy with ferocity. The bird, however, didn't look concerned.

"I thought the Destroyer had erased your memories and arranged for you to die in the Human World. However, here you are, impossibly back from the dead! That stupid ball of gum should never have trusted that deceiver!"

"The _ball of gum_ tried to kill me back then and the only thing he managed to do was to trig my evolution." Wizarmon was determined to make the opponent quit the fight. After all, he was an adult level Digimon facing a perfect level one. "Are you going to take the risk to make me evolve further? You won't stand a chance if that happens!"

"Oh, please, evolve." Yagataramon taunted. "I have heard so many stories about you that I grew curious. I want to see _him_."

Wizarmon cursed mentally. That was the worst case scenario. Of course there was the possibility that he would really be able to evolve, however, the risk of becoming Beelzemon was intolerable. If he could, he wouldn't show that side of him to Tailmon. The mage knew, in spite of that, that Yagataramon was probably betting that he wouldn't be able to evolve. In that case, Wizarmon would be killed and there wouldn't be anyone to protect Tailmon, Hikari and the others.

"Wizarmon, I'll fight alongside you!" Tailmon suddenly stated, jumping to her friend's side.

"Of course not! Stay back!" Wizarmon was snapped out of his thoughts.

"Besides you, I'm the only adult level Digimon here. If we work together, we might win!" The cat was speaking with determination.

"I can handle this, Tailmon! I'll protect you!"

"You're not going to sacrifice yourself for me again!" Tailmon shouted.

The mage could see the tears falling from her eyes. He didn't need to read her mind to understand what was going through her heart.

"Tailmon… I'm not going to die this time. I swear to you." Wizarmon tried to comfort her. "Please believe in me."

"I believe in you. But that doesn't mean I'm going to let you fight alone!" Tailmon stated.

The others were watching them powerlessly. It wouldn't be wise to let their partners fight a perfect level Digimon, but they couldn't abandon Tailmon and Wizarmon. What should they do? Koushiro, although worried about the situation, couldn't help but ask aloud how Wizarmon could be back.

"It doesn't matter how he returned…" Hikari replied; her voice was breaking, "… all that matters is that he's back. A miracle brought him back to life!"

"That's too much of a praise to me." A male voice was heard from behind. The children and their partners turned around to see who was standing there. Koushiro and Takeru believed they were the only ones who knew him.

"Merchant?" The boy with red hair felt like he had been petrified. _Why is he here? Why now?_

"What are you doing here?!" Takeru questioned, clenching his fists in fury. "Do you have something to do with the killing and the Society?"

"DON'T YOU BLASPHEME, HUMAN!" Yagataramon roared. "As if we would associate with the likes of him!"

"Oh my!" The Merchant placed his right hand over his chest dramatically. His voice dripped sarcasm. "The Society doesn't like me! I feel so ashamed! I should throw myself from a cliff and repent from my sins!"

The stranger walked in direction of Yagataramon slowly, apparently ignoring his surroundings.

"Tell me, Yagataramon, what have you been told about me?" He asked in a monotonous yet cold voice.

"Enough." The bird Digimon replied, tense.

"Then you know what you should do, right?" The Merchant asked, maliciously.

Yagataramon didn't want to do that, but it was one of the most important rules in the Society. However, he refused to flee without making a remark.

"Just you wait and see, Destroyer! You can't stop us!"

Yagataramon flew and disappeared in the distance. Takeru didn't lose time and, right after his digivice began to work again, he asked Patamon to evolve, but was stopped by Wizarmon's shout:

"Don't do that!"

"Wizarmon, you don't know what the Merchant has done!" Takeru almost screamed. Koushiro was startled by seeing the young boy so angry. _That happened to me, not to him._

"Takeru, who is this guy?" Daisuke asked.

"Someone we can't trust, ever!" Takeru replied, furiously.

"It's true that you can't trust him, Takeru." Wizarmon said. "I'm ashamed to admit it, but I'm indebted to him for bringing me back to life."

That statement took everybody by surprise. Koushiro quickly managed to ask:

"What did you have to do in exchange for that?"

As if giving the information physically hurt him, Wizarmon answered with disgust:

"I have to work for him. But he promised me that I wouldn't have to fight you guys."

"I won't force you to do anything, kids, but I have useful information for you." The Merchant commented. "You can either come with me to my carriage and understand what is happening or wait until another agent of the Society appears and alter your memories."

It was evident that there was no other choice. Takeru hated that. The Merchant's carriage materialized suddenly and the strange opened its door and invited them to enter. It looked like a Victorian carriage with no horses. The black cabin had only one door and no windows. Reluctant, the chosen children and their partners entered the vehicle. Taichi was the last one to do so, before the Merchant. As he put his foot on the step, the man covered in black whispered in his ear:

"Your sister looks healthy. That's good."

Taichi didn't say anything. When the door was closed, the carriage disappeared in thin air.


	4. Big brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taichi remembers the first time he met the Merchant. The Izumis have a surprise guest.

**Chapter 4: Big brother**

The first time Taichi saw the Merchant was when he had returned home briefly, during his first adventure in the Digital World, although the boy believed it had been a dream. He was resting on the couch and spotted the strange figure dressed in black taking a look in the house's computer. _Is that a Digimon?_ The leader of the chosen children asked himself in concern. As if sensing the boy, the Merchant turned to him; his mask made Taichi shiver.

"Hello, Yagami Taichi. Happy to be back to this world?" The stranger greeted with a polite and happy intonation.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Taichi asked rudely, jumping off the couch.

"Well, the answer to the first question is too expensive. You can refer to me as Merchant, if you wish. The second question has a far simpler answer." The Merchant's voice was now lower and deeper. He slowly walked away from the computer and approached Taichi. "I'm here to warn you."

"Warn me? About what?"

"Don't return to the Digital World. Forget about it and about those kids stuck in there. Just live your life peacefully from now on."

"Huh?" Taichi looked at the stranger in disbelief. "My friends are still trapped in there and you want me to abandon them?"

"It's not your problem." The Merchant's tone was dark and frightening. "Keep telling that to yourself every day. It's not your problem neither it is your fault. You might actually believe it someday."

"DON'T BE STUPID!" Taichi roared. "Like Hell I would be able to do that! If they stay trapped there, they'll be in danger!"

"Leave them there to die and live on. You don't really want to go back there, do you? You have the choice to stay here with your family. If you do as I say, I'll close the doors to that world forever and you'll never have to fight again."

"What?" Taichi was trembling slightly. He couldn't possibly accept that. However, the boy felt conflicted. The idea of staying in home and to never have to fight again was delightful. A part of him wished for that, wished to accept those conditions. But he couldn't do it. He could never do that to his friends.

"I can't… abandon them." His voice sounded weaker than he intended.

"You are a fool, Yagami Taichi." That was the last thing he heard the Merchant say before Hikari woke him up. Taichi believed it had been just a dream and the fact that Digimon seemed to be attacking Odaiba made him forget about the Merchant quickly.

However, he met the stranger one more time. After Mugendramon's attack, Taichi found himself underground. Koushiro, Agumon and Tentomon were unconscious close to him. He couldn't see Hikari anywhere. It was when he heard that voice.

"Already regretting coming back here, Yagami Taichi?" The Merchant was standing behind the boy. Like in their first meeting, Taichi got up in a jump.

"Am I dreaming again? Are you real?" He sounded slightly frightened.

"It's not important whether you are dreaming or not. However, I am indeed very real." The Merchant's voice sounded darker and colder than ever. "Look at you. The brave hero! Bringing your little sister to the Digital World just to see her die!"

"I didn't… I…" Taichi felt like crying.

"You are a terrible big brother who can't keep your sister safe. Just like that time you made her go to the hospital. You won't stop being reckless until you kill her, will you?"

"SHUT UP!" Taichi let a few tears escape his eyes. "HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT? HOW CAN YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT?"

"I know many things from the past and the future. Things you wouldn't believe." Taichi thought he had heard a tone of sadness when the Merchant said those words. "I know for instance whether Hikari will live or die."

In that moment Taichi felt fear. The greatest fear he had ever experienced. He could feel his body shake as he imagined the last thing he wanted to imagine.

"She's not… she can't die… she can't…"

"Whether the girl lives or dies is up to you to decide." The Merchant sounded strangely empathic. He got on one knee and held the boy's chin with delicacy. "I can save Hikari if you do a thing for me."

"S-save Hikari? Can you do it?" Taichi regained a part of his hope.

"That's easy. When you had your little quarrel with Ishida Yamato, Homeostasis used Hikari's body to communicate with you. When God does that to someone, the vessel is changed forever."

"The thing that possessed Hikari… wait, but that thing said it wasn't a god!"

"You could say that Homeostasis doesn't have a very high self-esteem." The Merchant mocked. "What is important is that thanks to God's action, it's possible to awake a power in Hikari. A holy power based in light and that reflects what resides in her heart. That power can easily save her."

"Then do it!" Taichi ordered. "If this power can save my sister's life, go awake it and save her!"

"How rude. Is that how you ask favors?" The Merchant reprehended coldly.

"I-I'm sorry." Taichi quickly apologized. "Please, save Hikari."

"I know the right spell to awake that power in her. I can do it in the comfort of my carriage." The Merchant stood up and walked towards Koushiro, who was lying on the ground a few meters at Taichi's right direction. The Merchant crouched next to the red-haired boy and leaned to him. Taichi couldn't see the stranger's hands from where he was standing, but assumed they were resting on his lap.

"You know, Yagami Taichi, there are a few conditions for this job. You must fulfill them, so I can save Hikari." The Merchant said, without turning around.

"I'll do anything." Taichi stated. He was afraid of what the stranger would ask him to do, though.

"The first thing is rather obvious. Never mention that you know me or what I did to anyone. If you disobey this order, I'll consider our deal invalid and I'll kill your sister immediately." The Merchant spoke slowly and made sure to sound terrifying. "I have ways to know when I am mentioned."

"Of course, I can keep this as a secret. There's no problem at all." Taichi sighed in relief.

"The other condition you will fulfill in a near future. It has to do with Koushiro." The Merchant added, standing up and apparently fixing something in his left sleeve before turning around to face Taichi.

"Koushiro?" The leader of the Chosen Children was confused. "What do you want with Koushiro?"

"I have an interest in him, nothing that concerns you. In a few years, he'll feel troubled. He will want to discuss a family problem with you. I need you to tell him, when this day comes, that you can't hear what he has to say." The stranger explained.

"What? Why? What's the reason for that?" Taichi didn't like the idea of refusing to help Koushiro if he needed to talk to him.

"You only have to do this once. It's going to happen in the middle of a mission in the Digital World, so you'll have the excuse that you are too busy to listen to his problem. Since I feel generous, I'll make you this offer: one hour after you refuse to hear Koushiro, the first condition will be extinct and you'll be able to tell everything you know about me to anyone." The Merchant made an effort to sound reliable.

"Then… one hour later I'll be able to explain everything to Koushiro, apologize to him and listen to what he has to say!" Taichi was enthusiastic now. "He's going to understand, Koushiro is very reasonable. Besides, as far as I know, he has a great family! His family problem can't possibly be something too serious!"

"It seems that you agree to my terms." The Merchant commented in delight.

"Yes. We have a deal! Now, go help Hikari!" Taichi said.

"It will be my pleasure." The Merchant replied in a mysterious tone. He took a black knife out of his left sleeve and stuck it on the ground, disappearing next. It didn't take long to Taichi to realize that he didn't actually have any guarantee that the stranger was really going to save Hikari. As far as the bearer of courage knew, the Merchant could have been just messing with his head. That made Taichi anxious and angry. His sister was in danger and the only reliable thing that could help her was the medicine. Instead of losing time believing in fishy stories, he should have moved right away to Hikari's aid.

"Hey! The three of you! Wake up already!" Taichi said in loud voice. Agumon, Tentomon and Koushiro seemed disoriented at first, but quickly remembered what had happened.

"Mugendramon attacked… and we fell here." Koushiro was still putting his thoughts together, standing up with Tentomon's help.

"Koushiro-han, your elbow!" Tentomon sounded alarmed. The boy took a look at his right elbow and noticed there was a small cut on it, from where a little trail of blood was visible.

"The injury was probably caused by the fall, but it's not a big wound. I'm going to be fine, don't worry." The bearer of knowledge assured his partner with a smile.

"If you're done talking, we should get going!" Taichi urged the others. He would eventually break down and talk about what had happened to Hikari long ago, being listened and consoled by Koushiro. The older boy wasn't expecting for the red-haired to be so understanding and emphatic. Truth be told, Taichi had believed that Koushiro was a person who didn't have the capability to deal with people's emotional problems. To be helped by him like that surprised the leader at the same time that made him feel guilty about his deal with the Merchant. _But that was probably a bunch of lies; I don't have any real reason to believe in that,_ the boy thought. Of course, when he saw Hikari using a strange power based in light, Taichi had no other choice but to believe that everything the Merchant had said was true. When the time arrived, he would have to refuse to hear Koushiro's problem. _It's going to be okay. He's going to understand, right?_

Years later, when Taichi, Koushiro and the new chosen children were reunited in a big saloon filled with tall bookshelves and strange objects to talk to the Merchant (according to Koushiro, the interior of the carriage was probably part of a different dimension), the original bearer of courage couldn't stop thinking about the events that had brought the Merchant to his life. Leaning against a wall, he watched the backs of those who were younger than him. The man in black had walked to the front of the group.

"First I need to cast a spell to prevent your memories from being rewritten by the _Word_. I can't restore your old memories, so you'll have to figure out what was real and what wasn't on your own." The Merchant explained as he looked for something in a nearby shelve. "Then I'll explain what I can, if you attend to one condition."

"I knew there was going to be a trick!" Takeru whispered angrily to himself.

"What condition?" Koushiro asked in a calm and controlled tone.

"No chosen child will ever fight me." The Merchant stated. "Not that any of you would be able to hurt me, anyway."

"Then who is going to stop you?" Takeru questioned loudly, not containing himself. At that point, everybody was staring at the blond boy and wondering what was his History with the Merchant.

"Don't be so cocky, Takaishi Takeru." The stranger's voice had now a horrifying cold tone. "Not even Homeostasis itself can stop me. Don't think you can."

"Homeostasis?" Myako wondered in loud voice.

"Gennai-san told me about it once." Koushiro replied. "He is indeed an agent of this entity. Homeostasis chose us to be chosen children and it surveys the stability of the Digital World, like a security system. Homeostasis created the Agents, who are Gennai-san and his companions, to act like its arms and legs because it doesn't have a physical form."

"Well, not anymore!" The Merchant suddenly exclaimed, as if he had found something funy. "Homeostasis is now pure energy and data trapped out of the tissue of reality and can never get out of there. However, it can sometimes use someone's body to communicate with us mere mortals."

"This Homeostasis… is it the thing that possessed Hikari back when we were fighting the Dark Masters?" Tailmon suddenly asked.

"Yes, it was one of the few times God interfered in the world." The Merchant spoke vaguely. "The Society claims to worship Homeostasis, though I doubt those Digimon ever communicated with the entity. But that didn't stop them from pursuing their objective."

"What objective?" Ken questioned, anxiously. "Why are they doing all those atrocities?"

"I will tell you when you accept my condition." The Merchant said. "Or you can refuse, leave my carriage and wait for your memories to be changed for… I lost track of how many times that happened so far but you got the point."

It was evident for Taichi that everybody was conflicted. The original bearer of courage decided to express his opinion.

"We should do as he says. Our only chance to win this battle is to know what the enemy is plotting. Besides, I don't want them to keep messing with my head."

"But Taichi-san!" Takeru tried to argue, but the majority seemed to agree with Taichi. Koushiro was the last one to manifest his thoughts. He stared at the Merchant, who turned his hidden face to the boy. An intense atmosphere could be felt between the two of them.

"You will not fight us either." Koushiro stated, firmly.

"I am not a fighter." The other replied.

"You will not harm my friends in any way." The boy made the sentence sound like a threat.

"I have no interest in unimportant people." The Merchant phrased that sentence slowly, as if he expected Koushiro to grasp the true meaning behind those words. He knew, however, that nobody knew his real intentions. "I suppose we can get down to business now."

Far from there, in the real world, it was getting late and Izumi Masami had just entered his house and kissed his wife when it was heard a knock on the door that had been just closed. Yoshie opened it and found a boy with curly black hair wearing a white jacket over a black shirt, standing in front of the entrance. Masami approached his wife to take a glance in whoever was outside. The boy looked at those two people as if he had longed for them, his light brown eyes shone with intense emotion.

"Are you Koushiro's friend?" Yoshie asked the boy, studying his features with interest.

"It's complicated." The boy answered, trembling. "It's an unbelievable story. You'll think I'm crazy. You'll think I'm telling some bad joke but I swear it's all true." His voice had started to crack and his eyes were now filled with tears. Yoshie and Masami felt the strange urge to hug that boy. "I-I shouldn't be here… I'm just being selfish… I'm so sorry."

The young man tried to leave the place, but the woman instinctively held him by the hand.

"Please, tell us what you came here to say." She asked. Yoshie could feel that it was something extremely important.

"Who are you?" Masami didn't understand why he needed the answer for that question so much. There was something strange about that boy.

"I was brought here from a parallel universe by a powerful man who wears a white mask… he told me that he could make my wish reality…"

"What wish?" Yoshie asked.

"I had lost my entire family… I was all alone… then he appeared and told me that he could give my family back to me…" It was getting harder for the boy to speak. His face was now being washed by tears, "… I just had to go to a universe where there wasn't a version of me… where I had never being born or… was already dead…"

Yoshie and Masami felt their hearts become heavier. _It can't be… he can't possibly…_

"Who are you?" The woman asked in a weak voice. She was about to start crying.

"I attend by the name Katsura Shinsuke… but that's not my real name." The young man made his best effort to speak clearly. "My real name is Makoto… I-Izumi Makoto… I am your son."


	5. The Dark Age

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Merchant tells the chosen children what happened in the Dark Age.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is not set in the same universe as The Song of Love.

**Chapter 5: The Dark Age**

The Merchant had left the saloon for five minutes, returning then with a black marker and a dropper. He drew a circle on the floor and wrote strange hieroglyphs inside it. After he had finished, the stranger asked for a digivice and Taichi gave him his. The digivice was put in the middle of the circle and the Merchant dripped the liquid from the dropper on it. It was red and Agumon and the other Digimon recognized the scent.

"Is that blood?" Agumon questioned.

"Yes." The man in black replied with indifference. "Blood spells are quite handy. I just need to perform one in one digivice and everybody who has a digivice will be protected against the Word."

"Whose blood is that?!" Takeru asked.

"None of your business." The other answered darkly. A golden light shone in Taichi's digivice and in all the other digivices in the room after the blood was dripped. "All done."

Soon, the D-terminals of Takeru, Myako and Iori received e-mails.

"My brother is with Sora-san. It' seems that their digivices emitted a golden light and they want to know what is happening." The blond kid reported.

"Mimi-san's digivice did the same thing." Myako said.

"Jyou-san's too." Iori added.

"We should meet them later to discuss the situation." Hikari proposed and everybody agreed. Ken was particularly tense. The boy turned to the Merchant with serious and inquisitive eyes.

"What's this Word you keep mentioning?" Ken inquired, still holding Wormmon protectively.

"That's an intelligent question, Kaiser-kun." The Merchant commented meanly, making Ken frown. "However, in order to explain that, you need to know about the Society."

"What do you want in exchange for that information?" Koushiro asked, finding it suspicious that the Merchant would give so much information to them.

"Everything I'm going to tell you is included in the package. You simply must never fight me." The man in black replied, sitting cross-legged on the floor and inviting his guests to do the same. "It's going to be a long story, so be patient and don't interrupt me. When the Digital World was still young, the Vaccine and the Data Digimon tried to exterminate the Viruses for the first time. It was back then that a group of Digimon was chosen by Lucemon and would be known as the Demon Lords. And it was in that time that the Digital World was first visited by human children. They tried to keep this story a secret and turn it into vague myths and legends. But you'll know the Truth now. I will tell you about the Dark Age."

**Beginning of the Merchant's narrative:**

The year was 1995. There was a small orphanage in Hikarigaoka where five children lived. Tamaki-san was a kind and sweet blond boy. He disliked arguments and was always taking care of others. Tamaki-san almost never mentioned his family and used to force a smile all the time so people wouldn't worry about him.

Homura-san was from a traditional family descendent of samurais. I don't know the details behind her coming to the orphanage. She was very serious and didn't really like to socialize with the other children. She had a long and beautiful black hair.

Kanda-san was was left in the orphanage when he was a just born baby. He was abandoned in the place's door during a cold night and would have died if the woman responsible for the institution hadn't heard his cries.

Otae and Shinsuke were siblings. She was misunderstood many times by people, but her brother understood her... he was the only person who really knew and accepted her for who she was. Shinsuke loved his sister more than anything in the universe.

Those children grew up in a society that would look at kids with no families like hindrances. I don't know whether or not you are familiar with the fact that most of the orphans and abandoned children will probably never have a new home because so many people still believe that adoption stains the family. But those five children had found a family among themselves. After they had been abducted to the Digital World and bounded with five monsters, they naively believed that their family had become bigger.

They had been brought there to fight the Demon Lords. They were also in a group of five. Their leader was the angel Lucemon, who had been one of the first researchers of the Digital World, along with Holyangemon and Angewomon. They had built the great Digital Library to store their knowledge, but soon they would part ways. Holyangemon was an instigator of the violence against the Viruses and believed they should be exterminated for being impure. Angewomon tried to stop Holyangemon, but he cursed her and turned her in Ladydevimon, and then he locked her in the dark ocean dimension. Lucemon respected Angewomon and was furious at Holyangemon's actions, but he knew that it wouldn't be enough to just kill him. So the ultimate angel conceived a plan that he shared only with the Digimon who would be his right-hand man.

Differently from you, who were chosen by Homeostasis, the first generation of chosen children were picked by Lucemon. His plan was to make the Demon Lords slaughter Digimon of all attributes and make them unite against a common enemy. Plus, those Digimon would be saved by human children, beings who didn't have attributes, which would help to cease the discrimination among Digimon. The kids fought the Demon Lords and Holyangemon's minions at the same time. Eventually, Ladydevimon evolved, broke free from the dark dimension and assisted the children. She battled Holyangemon and nearly killed him, but the male angel, in a desperate attempt to beat her, evolved to a form he'd despise more than anything in the world. With the help of the children, the female demon locked her former companion in a cage inside a castle in the dark area. Until today she's guarding him. They both were in the Demon Lord class, but neither of them ever joined Lucemon.

Lucemon's minions were: Barbamon, the most knowledgeable Digimon to ever live and Lucemon's right-hand man; Belzeemon, the main assassin of the group who would be best known as Slaughter Machine; Belphemon, who didn't seem to care a lot by what happened in the world; and Leviamon, who was secretly plotting to take Lucemon's position. Belzeemon was the first one to die and his digitama was sealed in a mountain; Belphemon was the second one to die and his digitama disappeared; Leviamon was defeated by Lucemon himself and devolved to perfect level, to this day he rules over the dark ocean; Lucemon… he put an end to himself and took his secrets to the grave, but the secrets were later discovered. Barbamon was afraid to die, so he made a shameful deal with a former enemy. I believe Koushiro and the blond brothers can tell that story better.

Before Lucemon's death, he had surrended and the children thought they could go back to their world. There was even a gate that could be open in the Demon Lords' sanctuary. But their Digimon partners didn't want them to go. They had evolved to become the strongest Digimon in existence. Four of them would be known as Sovereigns or Holy Beasts. Tamaki-san's partner was a two headed turtle called Xuanwumon; Homura-san's was the tiger Baihumon; Otae's was the dragon Qinglongmon; Kanda-san's partner was the sparrow Zhuqiaomon. The partner of Shinsuke wasn't a Sovereign, but a Holy Knight… the strongest and deadliest Digimon: Alphamon. The four beasts would dedicate their lives to protect the Digital World and Alphamon would recruit Digimon to build a citadel where the knowledge of the Digital World would be protected, this citadel is where the Sacred Society operates. To prevent the true story to be known, Alphamon elaborated a spell to rewrite memories and taught it to his subordinates, that spell is called the Word. With time, the members of the Society began to believe they were the true servants of Homeostasis, although Homeostasis had never contacted them. Those Digimon became more and more fanatic until they decided that their _God_ would reward them if they cleaned the Digital World. That's why they initiated this mass massacre. Or at least that's the justification they use.

Maybe you are wondering about those children's fate. Alphamon and the Sovereigns needed them so they could keep their levels. They said it was for the sake of the Digital World. Who would care, anyway? They were just five rejects from human society. Children who didn't belong anywhere and who should be glad that their insignificant existence had any meaning to the Digital World. Their true fate would be kept as a secret. Temples would be built in their honor; their legend would give hope to Digimon and inspire the Agents to choose you guys. Those five Digimon would cry everyday as they convinced themselves that they had made the right decision in order to keep the Digital World safe. They would apologize countless times, but it wouldn't make a difference.

That day, those five Digimon, who had promised to protect their human partners, attacked them to devour their data and never devolve. Those five idiots who believed they were heroes found out that they were not different from pigs sent to a slaughterhouse. They should have seen that coming. Five children with no family being chosen to be heroes? Absurd! They wouldn't be missed by anyone, so their safety didn't really matter. They were sacrificed for the sake of the Digital World, that's what was said. In my opinion, they were brought here to die pointlessly in the cruelest way possible.

**End of the Merchant's narrative**

A mortal silence filled the saloon. Not even one of the chosen children was able to speak after hearing that horrible story. Hikari, Myako, Ken, Daisuke, Takeru and Iori tried to stop the tears from escaping their eyes. Taichi was utterly shocked by the narrative and couldn't stop shaking. Koushiro didn't show any reaction, his face was blank. He was the person who had been affected the most by that story, but he refused to show the damage those words caused in him. He wouldn't give that satisfaction to the Merchant. Tentomon observed his partner with concern. Not only was he disturbed by the idea of Digimon murdering their human friends, he also couldn't stop thinking that the Merchant knew about Koushiro's adoption and used that story to hurt the boy. Tentomon didn't know why, but he sensed that the strange figure dressed in black had something against Koushiro. And the hatred the insect already had towards that being grew stronger than ever. He couldn't trust him, neither could he forgive him.

"That… can't be true." Wormmon broke the silence, his voice was weak and hesitant. "They were their partners… they wouldn't… they couldn't possibly…"

"I don't care whether you believe in me or not. I have told you everything I could. Now get out of my carriage." The Merchant cut Wormmon off with rudeness.

The door of the carriage was opened and the chosen children found themselves in a park in Odaiba. It was already night, and they had gone to the Digital World during the afternoon. They walked slowly to the exit while the Merchant was talking to Wizarmon. Agumon and Tentomon stayed together with Taichi and Koushiro. The other Digimon hadn't devolved after returning to the human world, maybe because they had traveled in the carriage. The mage Digimon, after hearing the Merchant's instructions, accompanied Tailmon and the others to the outside. Once they had all left the carriage, the vehicle vanished.

"The meeting place suggested by Onii-chan was our Father's apartment. He's in another town covering a story, so we could discuss everything with the others without having to worry about the time." Takeru informed bluntly. The atmosphere was heavy and nobody seemed to want to talk about what had happened. Daisuke felt mentally exhausted; even though he wanted to go to the reunion, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to focus on anything. He needed to be alone and think about what had happened that day. Iori felt he needed to think too. He had been trying to see the world in a more flexible manner; however he didn't know what to think about Digimon killing their partners. Was it acceptable, to save the Digital World, to sacrifice children? He couldn't possibly acknowledge that as right, but it wasn't a simple situation. Myako was absolutely terrified and disgusted. The betrayal of those Digimon was unforgivable and she couldn't avoid placing herself on the shoes of those children. She just wanted to go home and cry. Takeru and Hikari couldn't yet formulate elaborated thoughts on the subject. The shock was still too big for them and there was a tiny hope that maybe the Merchant was telling lies. Ken wasn't able to digest the story and at the same time he was the first one who had accepted it as true. That boy had seen darkness beyond anyone's nightmares. Deep down, he knew that the Kaiser would find the decision of those five Digimon rational and obvious, and the acknowledgement of that made Ken feel sick.

"Is it okay if I head home?" Ken asked almost inaudibly. "I live far from here… it's not necessary for us all to go, is it?"

Taichi could tell that no one there wanted to discuss anything after hearing that horrible story, so he suggested:

"It would be too crowded if we all went there. I believe just Hikari, Takeru, Koushiro and I need to attend this meeting."

"Before you all leave, I need to tell you something!" Wizarmon suddenly said. He was trembling in fear but he knew he had to tell them who he really was. "It's something about my past… a part of my past that I had forgotten and that fills me with shame and regret. I'll understand if you never want to approach me again after you hear it."

"Don't be ridiculous, Wizarmon!" Tailmon scolded. "Nothing you could say-"

"I used to be Belzeemon." Wizarmon confessed, making most of the children grasp in surprise.

"Then you are that Impmon from the mountain?" Takeru asked in a shocked tone.

"How do you…" Wizarmon was about to question when he understood what had happened. "Koushiro told you and your brother who I really was."

"If you're that Impmon, why didn't you say anything when Jyou-san and I rescued you from the water?" Takeru inquired in curiosity.

"I had lost my memories back then." Wizarmon replied. "More importantly, doesn't my past bother you?"

"You helped us a lot back then and, if it wasn't for you, Koushiro-san probably wouldn't be alive now." Takeru explained that with a little smile of gratitude on his lips. "Why would it matter what you had done in a past life? You were already our friend!"

Wizarmon was touched by those words. He had heard something similar from Koushiro but he assumed that the red-haired boy was simply strange.

"I don't understand what happened between you and Takeru, but I'll always stay by your side." Tailmon stated. "I wasn't always on the good guys' side if you don't remember."

"I agree with Tailmon." Hikari added. "But I want to know what happened in the past."

"To tell it in a few words," Koushiro began, still sustaining a blank face, "the Merchant had saved Tentomon's life and asked me to destroy a statue in exchange. I destroyed the statue but a curse fell on me and, according to this curse, I would die in 48 hours unless I met Barbamon in his dimension and proved that I was wiser than him."

"Barbamon? That Barbamon?" Taichi asked in astonishment.

"Yes." Koushiro continued, emotionlessly. He wanted to end that narrative quickly. "If I had failed, Barbamon would have broken free from the dimension where he was trapped and destroyed the Digital World, so I didn't want to take the risk of confronting him at the beginning."

"You can't mean…" Myako's face was as white as paper when she spoke. "… you were willing to die?"

"I was convinced not to give up on my life thanks to Impmon, Tentomon, Yamato-san and Takeru-kun. I faced Barbamon and defeated him in his dimension, but he still tried to kill me. He was most likely being controlled by someone and was already on the verge of death. Kabuterimon super evolved and destroyed him." Koushiro concluded.

"It was nothing special." Tentomon added. "Then Koushiro-han told us about his conversation with Impmon and the fact that he used to be a Demon Lord."

"Onii-chan proposed that we should keep the story to ourselves to avoid the rest of the group to worry about the Merchant and the Demon Lords." Takeru explained. "Maybe it wasn't a good decision but our intention was good."

Taichi and the others were too mentally and emotionally tired after hearing that story and Wizarmon's confession, so they didn't have the energy to discuss anything else. However, many sad looks were given in Koushiro's direction along with thoughts like _was he really going to give up on his life to keep the Digital World safe_?

"If it is alright, I would like to be excused." Koushiro suddenly said, forcing a smile. "I forgot I had promised my Mother I would help her with the dinner tonight."

"Of course, you can go." Taichi replied, presuming that Koushiro in reality didn't want to stay with his friends now that they had discovered what he had done in the past. _I bet we awoke some unpleasant memories in him, not to mention the nasty new information we heard today. We all need some alone time, but we need to let the others know what is going on._

Koushiro left with Tentomon. Right after him, Myako, Iori, Ken and Daisuke left with their partners. Wizarmon said he had to be in a place because the Merchant had given him a mission, but he wasn't allowed to discuss it, so he fled too.

That night, nobody would have a lot of sleep.


	6. Favor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone breaks into Ken's apartment to ask him a favor.

**Chapter 6: Favor**

"Do you understand how irresponsible that decision was? I can't believe I'm the one saying this to you!" Taichi scolded Yamato, who was in his apartment with Sora and Jyou when Taichi, Takeru and Hikari got there. They were talking about what had happened in that day.

"As I said, it seemed like the best decision in the moment. We had good intentions." Yamato defended himself.

"I don't buy it." Sora stated, giving her boyfriend a severe look. "You're not someone who would keep such important information from us, Yamato-kun. What was the actual reason?"

The boy studied Sora for a moment. She knew him too well. He sighed and decided to confess:

"It would be too painful to talk about that. Koushiro didn't say a thing, he never really does, but I felt that to discuss those events any further would hurt him immensely. Besides, the Merchant didn't seem like an immediate threat to us and we had no clue in how to defeat him. What good would it bring to talk about him?"

"But if I knew about the Merchant… if only I knew…" Taichi murmured to himself.

"We should focus on the most urgent problem now." Jyou tried to change the subject. "What to do about this Sacred Society?"

"We'll defeat it, of course." Hikari said. "If the Merchant was telling the truth, they can't change our memories anymore."

"If he is telling the truth." Takeru spoke in a cynical tone. "We don't even know what that guy really wants."

Far from there, Koushiro stood in front of his apartment's door for a while before entering. He wanted to be sure that he wouldn't show his parents a face that would worry them. The boy didn't know for how long he would be able to conceal his feelings. Tentomon was on his partner's head, looking down at him, concerned.

"Do you want to talk to me, Koushiro-han?"

"It's alright. I'm going to be okay." The red-haired young man forced a smile as he said that, opening the door right after. His parents were at the kitchen's table and turned immediately to his direction. They had heavy expressions on their faces, and Koushiro had the impression that their eyes were red.

"Is there something wrong?" The teenager asked, worried. Yoshie got up from her chair and went to where her son was standing. She caressed his face with tenderness. Her hands were cold and covered in sweat.

"Everything is alright." Masami replied, standing up too. "How about you? What happened in the Digital World that made you leave in such a hurry?"

"Evil Digimon." Koushiro replied laconically. "I have to work in a few things, so I'm heading to my room, okay?"

The adults didn't object. Tentomon found it strange that Yoshie hadn't asked Koushiro if he was hungry. After the boy closed his bedroom's door, he let himself sink in his bed, face down, forcefully closing his eyes. Tentomon sat by his side.

"We need to talk, Koushiro-han. You're not alright. Please, don't lie to me."

"I'm sorry." The boy spoke in a weak voice. "Can we please not talk right now?"

"What is going through your mind? I won't know if you don't tell me."

"You don't want to know, Tentomon."

In the kitchen, Yoshie had started to weep and Masami hugged her.

"Is Koushiro really going to be safe? Are we not going to lose him?" The woman cried on her husband's shoulder.

"We need to have faith, my love." The man tried to calm her down. "Isn't the miracle that happened today enough for us to know that time can be rewritten?"

Silence fell between them.

"Makoto is going to save Koushiro and change fate… and he's going to have his family back and return to his world… but I don't want him to go. We've only met him." Yoshie opened her heart. She was worried about Koushiro after Makoto's revelation. However she couldn't ignore the son that had suddenly returned to their lives.

"I feel the same way." Masami admitted. "But Koushiro can't know about Makoto or Homeostasis. It's like we were told, there's no other way to protect him."

Ken arrived at his home. He went in and found his parents sleeping on the couch. Wormmon, who was being held by the boy, asked if they should wake the couple up.

"No, let them be. But it's strange for them to be sleeping already, it's not that late." The chosen child commented. A part of him was relieved that his parents were sleeping. That meant he didn't have to talk to them immediately.

"H-hey, Ken-chan…" Wormmon stuttered.

"What is it?"

"You know it, right?"

"I know what, Wormmon?"

"You know that I would never hurt you, right?"

Ken lifted his partner and stared at those insect eyes. He could see that Wormmon was scared of the answer.

"We all know that." He said seriously. "We would never distrust you… especially in our case… you stayed by my side despite everything. I know deeply in my heart that you're my loyal friend."

The two of them heard a noise coming from the boy's bedroom, which startled them. Slowly, Ken opened the door and turned on the light. They found Wizarmon in the middle of the room.

"You're one of Hikari's friends!" The Digimon exclaimed in surprise.

"Wizarmon? What are you doing here?" Wormmon asked in confusion as Ken slowly approached the intruder.

"I am so sorry, that guy told me to make the people inside this apartment sleep and help him sneak in, I had no idea it was your home." The mage tried to explain himself.

"What guy? The Merchant? Is the Merchant here?" Ken had urgency in his voice.

"No." A male voice said as the door of the room was closed. The boy and his partner turned around and found a teenager wearing a white coat standing between the door and them.

"Who are you?" Ken questioned.

"The Merchant ordered me to help this person. I don't really know who he is." Wizarmon was stating the truth. He couldn't even read the boy's mind, as if it had a different frequency.

"Hello, Ken-kun." The other boy saluted the chosen child politely. "I'm sorry for the intrusion but I have a huge favor to ask. I swear I won't put you in any danger."

"Favor?" Ken was intrigued.

The stranger had a desperate look on his face. He gulped before making his request.

"I need to go to the Dark Ocean."


	7. Lilithmon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ken, Wormmon, Wizarmon and Makoto go to the Dark Ocean's dimension.

**Chapter 7: Lilithmon**

"The Dark Ocean?" Ken was petrified by that request. The memories of that place still haunted him. "I'm not going there, you can't force me!"

"I won't make you go there, I swear!" The stranger tried to calm the chosen child down. "I only want you to open a portal and let me go there. Then, you can close it."

"How do you plan to leave that place?" Wizarmon questioned the older boy, seriously.

"I have a plan." The other replied.

"Tell me your plan. If I don't know what you're up to, how can I assist you?" Wizarmon spoke severely. "Not to mention that you haven't even told me your name yet."

"Who are you?" Ken repeated the question. "You can't expect me to help some strange guy who broke into my home, put my parents to sleep and wants me to open a gate to a horrifying place."

"Ken-chan is not going to open any portal!" Wormmon stated. "The time he had to do it to send Daemon to the Dark Ocean was too much for him. You can't make him go through that again!"

The older boy had a pained expression. He slowly slid his right hand under his coat and grabbed something in his back. "I am truly sorry, Ken-kun. Lock on!" He said as a big target appeared in Ken's chest. It had the number 60 inside it, which quickly turned into 59 and continued the regressive count. The boy wearing the white coat took his hand from behind his body and revealed a small black gun.

"Where did you get that weapon?" Wizarmon couldn't believe his eyes. "You shouldn't have it, the Merchant shouldn't have it!"

"What is this target? What is going on?" Ken asked in panic.

"For what I was told, when the count gets to zero you die." The stranger explained in a cold tone. "It's thought controlled and 100% lethal, I don't need to aim it or even pull the trigger. Now, Ken-kun, you have less than a minute to open the gate to the Dark Ocean, otherwise you'll die."

"T-this can't be…" Wormmon stuttered, desperate.

"What he's saying is true, I know that gun very well." Wizarmon hurried to say. "Ken, you have to open that gate!"

Ken pulled out his digivice and pointed it to a space in his front. Trembling, he looked at the number 42 in his chest. _How do I do this? How did I do this last time? I just wished to open the gate. Can this work again?_ The boy was focusing on his memories from the Dark Ocean and screamed in pain.

"Stop that! You're hurting Ken-chan!" Wormmon cried.

"Cancel the execution order, there must be another way!" Wizarmon ordered. "Why doesn't the Merchant take you there?"

"No, it's working!" The boy holding the gun pointed to a small crack that had appeared in the air. "I can see a Dark Place, it must be it! Keep going, Ken-kun!"

The number inside the target was 13 when the gate became big enough for the stranger to cross. "Cancel!" The boy in the white coat said, making the target vanish. Ken fell to his knees, dropping his partner on the floor, holding his head with both hands and crying. Wormmon came close to him and tried to make the boy calm himself.

"Ken-chan, it's over now. You're going to be okay."

"The darkness… it's calling me… it's involving me… It's going to take me away…" Ken was overwhelmed with fear.

"You're going to be just fine, Ken-kun. I promise." Makoto spoke in a voice full of sorrow. "Thank you for your help."

The older boy hurried to the gate and stretched his arm to cross it. However, as soon as his arm made it to the other side, he felt a force pulling him in. When the boy realized, he was in a Dark Forest, the other three had come along and there was no sign of the portal.

"No!" The young man in the white coat panicked when he understood what had happened. "No, no, no, Ken-kun wasn't supposed to come along, I must take him back! What do I do? What do I do? Think, Makoto, think! What do I do?"

"You pointed a gun at me two minutes ago and now you're worried about my safety?" Ken inquired, angrily. "I can't believe you brought me here, I can't believe I'm back here."

The chosen child trembled in fear. He felt that there was a dark presence in the forest watching them.

"Ken-chan, calm down, I'm here with you. I'll protect you!" Wormmon tried to cheer him up. "Do you think you can open the gate again?"

"Something interfered with the stability of the gate earlier. Who knows what could happen if Ken tries to open it again. "Wizarmon was against the idea. He looked at Makoto, who was visibly concerned. "Were you responsible for that, Makoto?"

The older boy looked horrified after hearing the mage say his name. "How do you… oh, damn it, I was thinking aloud! DAMN IT!"

Steps were heard approaching their location and a Divermon emerged from the forest. Wizarmon put himself between the monster that had just arrived and the two boys and Wormmon.

"Master felt a great disturbance here. One of you came from a very faraway place." The amphibian murmured. "I must take you to him."

"Do you think you can pass through me?" Wizarmon swung his staff in front of him.

"That would be a mistake." A female voice was heard from above. A young female Digimon, with long blond hair and blue eyes, wearing a red dress under a black cape and a large red hat, was floating on a broom, smirking. "This mage might not seem like something big, but my Mistress told me he used to be a very dangerous menace."

"What business brings you here, Witchmon?" The Divermon questioned, angrily.

"Isn't it obvious? My Mistress wants to talk to these individuals in her castle." Witchmon replied. "Now, do the smart thing and run back to Dagomon."

The Divermon fled. Witchmon laughed. "They all know it's better not to mess with Mistress."

"This Mistress you're talking about… is she Lilithmon?" Wizarmon asked the female Digimon. Ken stood up, holding Wormmon in his arms. He was still scared but knew he had to keep it together, or he would concern Wormmon. Makoto listened to the conversation between the two magical Digimon, tense.

"That's right, you know her from the Dark Age. I hope you have no hard feelings for her help in the defeat of Lucemon's bunch." Witchmon said.

"You could say we're on the same side if she is still helping the chosen children." Wizarmon relaxed his posture. Then, he turned to Ken and Makoto. "Lilithmon's castle is probably the safest place around, we should head there."

"If you say so, Wizarmon." Ken timidly agreed. He wasn't sure about that plan, but Wizarmon was a friend of Hikari and Tailmon. Even if he was being forced to work for the Merchant, Ken knew he could trust the mage. Witchmon came down from the broom and led the way by foot. She walked in the front, Ken carrying Wormmon was in the middle and Makoto and Wizarmon were at the end of the formation.

"Ken-chan, you're going to be alright. We'll find a way home soon." Wormmon assured the boy.

"I know." Ken smiled at his friend. Then, he turned his head to face Makoto. That strange boy worried him immensely. He absolutely could not be trusted. However, something in Ken's heart was telling the chosen child that there was more to Makoto than he could imagine. And Ken himself had done terrible things in the past, so what right did he have to judge someone. "Why did you want to come here, anyway?" He questioned without any trace of anger in his voice. Ken wanted to understand the other.

"I have a mission to fulfill." The stranger murmured. "I don't know if there is a point in saying this but I didn't wish to cause you harm nor to bring you here. However, I did what was necessary."

"What has the Merchant done to you to force you to work for him?" Wizarmon asked Makoto. "I might not be able to read your mind but you don't strike me as someone inherently evil."

"I'm not being forced to work for him. The two of us just happen to have the same goal."

"What goal would that be?" Ken questioned, frowning.

"~I know what it is, ~" Witchmon sang in a mocking way, for Makoto's shock. She stopped walking and turned around, showing a wicked smile. "Mistress Lilithmon was once told a prophecy about you."

"A prophecy?" Makoto paled after hearing that, stopping walking too. _She couldn't know, could she?_

Wizarmon, Ken and Wormmon paid attention to their interaction.

"Yes. A boy in white, brought from a distant universe, whose heart was full of love and despair, enemy of fate, would tear worlds apart for his own sake." Witchmon had now a deeper tone of voice. Her eyes were as cold as ice. "Mistress wants to see you, Messenger of Death."

Ken gasped and looked at Makoto terrified. _Messenger of Death? What is he planning to do? What does that prophecy mean?_ Wizarmon tensed up but wasn't too surprised. _What did this damn kid get himself into? What does he want so badly to agree to help in such cursed goal? Is that Merchant trying to end the world_? Makoto could feel everybody's eyes on him. _Does she know what I'm up to? Why is she taking me to see Lilithmon, then? Why does Lilithmon want to meet me assuming she knows why I'm here for? Is it a trap? Am I going to fail? She probably doesn't know everything. She mustn't know what I'll do tonight._

"Take me to her." The older boy said defiantly. Witchmon opened a gate in the air with a movement of her hand. On the other side, a rocky saloon could be seen. It should be Lilithmon's castle. Witchmon indicated with her head that Ken and Wormmon should go in first. After them, Wizarmon should cross the passage.

"Are you going to kill us?" Wizarmon inquired.

"Mistress would never hurt kind souls." Witchmon said darkly and pointed at the gate. Wizarmon decided to play along to see where that situation would go and passed through the passage. Ken and Wormmon would probably be safe and that was the most important right now. He couldn't afford to worry about Makoto yet. After the mage crossed the gate, Witchmon snapped her fingers and the location at the other side of the portal changed to a private room where a female figure waited, sitting on a chair.

"She desires to see you alone."

"Are you not going to search me for a hidden weapon, Witchmon?"

"I know you probably have one. Mistress didn't allow me to do it, though. But she's unimaginably strong, whatever you have won't hurt her."

The boy closed his eyes and took a deep breath before going into Lilithmon's room. The passage closed behind him. The room was richly decorated. A golden rug covered the floor. The big table and shelves of books seemed to be made of noble wood. Purple curtains with flower stamps hung from the sides of the window that showed a large city outside the castle. Lilithmon stood up and went to the window, passing by the boy. She had a beautiful face, short black hair, black small wings and wore an elegant purple dress. She looked outside the window with eyes full of sorrow.

"There are hundreds of Virus Digimon refugees taking shelter here since the Dark Age. I'm the strongest creature here, so they feel safe in my care. Dagomon from the Ocean, former Leviamon, still tries to take this place down, but my magic protects it. It's my power that is barely keeping this dimension separated from the Digital World. It's my power that keeps Daemon trapped in his cage, weakened. And as long as I live I'll protect as many innocent lives as I can."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Makoto asked with no emotion.

"Because you must know what will happen if I die."

"I already know what happens." The boy murmured. Lilithmon gave him a pitiful smile.

"No you don't. Otherwise, you wouldn't have come here to murder me."

Makoto stepped away from her and pulled the gun from under his coat, pointing it at the female Digimon. He didn't activate it.

"And so the curtain rises. I'll prepare some tea for us." Lilithmon walked to a compartment where there was a small kitchen.

"Don't try anything funny." He threatened her.

"Oh, don't worry, I just want to talk to you." She said calmly. "You owe me a conversation if you are going to cause an unspeakable tragedy."

"You can't change my mind. I know what I have to do."

"You know nothing, kid!" Lilithmon stated, ferociously, startling Makoto. She approached him and looked deep into his eyes. He could see a cold fury in them. But Lilithmon smiled largely and said: "Be glad that I'm here to give you enlightenment."


	8. Child of Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How far is Makoto willing to go to achieve his goals?

 

  **Chapter 8: Child of Darkness**

The gate closed behind Ken, Wormmon and Wizarmon as soon as they arrived at the saloon. There were stairs behind them and a few corridors around the place. A corridor close led to a big wooden door, which was opened by the outside, allowing a Digimon who looked like a gangster to enter the place.

"An Astamon." Wizarmon murmured, indicating with his head the Demon Man Digimon wearing a gray coat with red details over a blue tuxedo and carrying a machine gun.

"I've heard that he is quite a nasty Digimon." Wormmon commented.

"That is very brave coming from someone of your size," Astamon laughed. "I'm the third in command of this fortress. Why did Witchmon-san bring you here?"

"That actually has more to do with Mako… where is he?!" Ken realized that the other boy wasn't behind them.

"He's with Mistress," Witchmon said from above. She was floating close to the ceiling in her broom. "While they talk, you can walk around the castle and even visit the refugees. They'll treat you with kindness. Just make sure you don't go to the dungeons below."

"What's in the dungeons?" Wizarmon asked.

"Daemon is imprisoned there." Astamon replied. "Not long ago he managed to escape and go to the human world. We can't let that happen again."

Ken felt cold sweat cover him. That Daemon should be the same one who tried to kidnap him and take the dark seed from his body. However, the boy never found out why he wanted to do those things. Wasn't that a good opportunity to find out, though? It should be safe to interrogate Daemon in the dungeons.

"Don't you think about it!" Witchmon scolded the boy. "It's dangerous to get close to Daemon."

"Eh?" Ken gasped. "Y-you read my mind?"

"Ken-chan, were you thinking about doing that?" Wormmon asked, surprised.

"Well… it's a unique chance, right? Since we're here anyway…"

"What for? That monster is locked away for good!" The female digimon stated.

"He did escape once, though, right?" Wizarmon commented. "In case that happens again, it wouldn't be bad to get info on him. I can accompany the boy and guarantee his safety."

"I'm Ken-chan's partner, I'm the one who's supposed to say things like that." Wormmon complained, which made Ken laugh.

"Witchmon, as long as you go with them, there should be no problem." Astamon gave his opinion.

"Alright, alright. Let's go, then!" Witchmon agreed reluctantly.

In Lilithmon's room, the digimon and the boy were seated across each other, with a table between them. She had poured tea in two cups, but Makoto didn't touch it. He kept the gun on hand, pointing it at her.

"I was part of the Society once, along with Lucemon and Holyangemon. Back then, I couldn't imagine that both of them would become evil forces. Lucemon was the first to leave. When I started to disagree with the way Holyangemon was treating the viruses, he cursed me… and I became like this. Not that I'm complaining. Thanks to that I've gained perspective."

"I know all that, no need to tell me." Makoto stated.

"Oh. I suppose _that kid_ told you these things already. I wonder if you know who he really is."

"This conversation is pointless."

"And yet you haven't pulled the trigger."

Makoto remained in silence. The plan was for him to kill Lilithmon by surprise. Now, he wasn't sure how to proceed. If he activated the weapon, she would have time to attack him. If he died, the order would be cancelled. He needed to create a reason for her to keep him alive.

"Do you know why the Merchant wants you dead?" The boy asked.

"I suppose he wants to free Daemon. Probably to cause even more havoc in this world."

"Why?"

"Don't you know? That kid hates the Digital World. It's only obvious that he'd do everything in his power to cause its doom."

"He's not some revengeful guy. He has a plan to fix things." Makoto whispered. Surprised, Lilithmon leaned towards him.

"Do you know what he's planning?" She asked.

"That little prophecy of me tearing worlds apart doesn't give you a clue?" Makoto taunted. He noticed how the other went pale and knew he was doing everything right.

"Nobody can destroy Homeostasis." Lilithmon stated.

"Not in its entirety, but if it never came to be completed… if a certain fundamental component were to never be added to it…"

"He knows about the Enlightened." The digimon stood up, glaring at the young man with intense eyes. "So what? So do I, Daemon and Dagomon."

"It's more than knowing about the existence of the Enlightened." Makoto stood up too. "He has found the Enlightened. And I know who it is."

Lilithmon walked around the table, towards Makoto, who yelled "Lock on."

"I can easily force you to cancel the order." Lilithmon threatened.

"The gentle lady who protects refugees is going to kill a child?" The boy was skeptical.

"I don't need to kill you." She murmured.

"There's no torture you can perform in less than one minute that will change my mind." Makoto made an affirmation. "You'll only survive by killing me. But if you kill me, you won't ever know who the Enlightened is."

Lilithmon wasn't sure about what she should do. She had to kill the boy to survive; she couldn't possibly put his life before the hundreds of lives depending on her. If she died, the fortress would fall, Dagomon would invade and Daemon would break free. That could throw the entire World into disaster. However, the boy was saying he knew the identity of the Enlightened, which was the most powerful and dangerous information in existence. If she could make him reveal that name, she could bring eternal peace and happiness to the Digital World. To take the human's life and waste that chance would be the same as giving up hope forever. She had to make him change his mind.

"What has the Merchant offered you, boy? Don't you know what he'll do to the Enlightened? The child must be protected from him!" Lilithmon stated.

"There's no need for the Merchant to harm him. We just have to stop the ritual."

_Him? A boy?_ Lilithmon was surprised by the revelation. _Then, that Hikari girl…_

"Listen, kid, I don't think you are a bad person," Lilithmon adopted a warmer tone, "you also must know that I just want to keep this world safe. Please, think about all the Digimon who are alive. Think about all the innocent souls the Merchant is about to destroy. You saw them through the window. Imagine what will happen when those two demons return to the surface dimension. The situation is already bad enough with just the Society acting. What does your heart say? Are you just going to let me die and unfold a massacre?"

Makoto took a deep breath. The woman could see his hand tremble. She knew he didn't really want to do that and predicted that her strategy would be successful.

"You're a kind person. Whatever it is that put you on this path, it's not too late. I can help you. Cancel the order and tell me everything about the Enlightened. I promise you everything will be okay."

Makoto smiled as a few tears formed in his eyes. He put the gun down. The number in Lilithmon's chest was already 10.

"Yes." The boy said.

"Good. Now, cancel the or-"

"Do not misunderstand." The boy interrupted. The count was in seven. "I'm answering the question you made earlier. If I was going to let you die and unfold a massacre."

Lilithmon felt her heart being filled with despair. "Stop the order!"

"Yes, I am."

Witchmon had taken Ken, Wizarmon and Wormmon to the dungeons, through one of the descending halls in the saloon. A cage of red light bars was surrounding Daemon at the end of it. The monster was sat on the ground and immediately noticed their presence. His eyes, the only part of his face visible under the hood, seemed to spark with excitement.

"Ken, what a pleasure!" The Demon Lord exclaimed.

"So you remember me." Ken commented.

"How could I forget? I chased you personally, don't you remember?"

"Because of the dark seed." Ken added. "Why did you want it so badly?"

Daemon laughed.

"What's funny? Answer Ken-chan's question!" Wormmon demanded.

"Look at you, Ken. Coming here to interrogate me without your human friends. Are you no longer scared of me? Nor of the darkness?" Daemon had a malicious tone.

"A-answer the question!" Ken tried to sound resolute. The truth was that he was still scared at being in that place.

"You're such a funny kid. Now I want you even more." Daemon leaned towards the bars, and Ken, unconsciously, took a step behind. Seeing that, Wizarmon took the front and confronted Daemon.

"It's you, right?" The mage asked. "The psychopath who once led the Society. For someone who wanted to wipe the Digital World from the viruses, I have to say you found the right end."

The aura emanating from Daemon became more vicious.

"You have some nerve, Lucemon's dog."

"More than you." Wizarmon mocked. "You used to rule the Digital World and now all you can do is hope for someone to break you from jail and steal some dark seeds. How sad is your life now?"

"You really think dark seeds were what I was after?" Daemon roared. "I couldn't let those stupid followers of mine, or that stupid possessed human or anyone else know the real reason I was after Ken. The dark seed was a convenient excuse. It was a believable reason to chase this boy. Nobody ever suspected the truth."

"What truth?" Ken felt cold sweat on his face. "Why were you after me?"

"You were a perfect fit." Daemon stood up. He looked at Ken as if he wanted to devour the boy alive. "Eyes full of darkness, a bloody crown… it had to be you."

Suddenly, a strong earthquake was felt, knocking everyone down. To Witchmon's horror, the cage imprisoning Daemon vanished.

"What is this? What is happening?" The female digimon was lost in confusion and fear.

"WITCHMON!" Astamon came running from the hall. "The barrier has collapsed! Dagomon is invading us!"

Then, he looked at the free Daemon and shivered. "What is… going on?"

"GO PROTECT THE REFUGEES, DAMN IT!" Witchmon shouted, jumping and landing between Daemon and Ken. "Chosen child, slaughter machine, please help Astamon. I'll deal with Daemon!"

"We can't leave you!" Ken protested. Wizarmon grabbed him and Wormmon and ran, following Astamon.

"A Demon Lord is too much for us now. But maybe there's a chance to beat Dagomon." The mage digimon said. As the group arrived at the saloon, Makoto was waiting for them, in the middle of the stairs. He pointed the gun at Astamon and said "lock on."

"YOU DAMN BRAT, WHAT DID YOU DO?" Astamon questioned, preparing to attack him.

"It should be obvious. I killed Lilithmon." Makoto replied in a cold tone, astonishing everyone.

"You… what?" Wizarmon was speechless. He saw, with the corner of his eye, Astamon advancing against the older boy. Without thinking, he jumped between the two and stopped the digimon.

"What are you doing?" Astamon growled.

"I must protect him." Wizarmon said automatically. He didn't know why he said that. It was true that the Merchant had ordered him to help the human, but he felt something in his heart demanding that action. Screams were heard from the outside. The door of the castle was opened and two Ogremons entered, severely hurt.

"Lilithmon-sama… help…" were their last words. They immediately collapsed and died after that. Through the open door, Ken and Wormmon could see hundreds of digimon being massacred mercilessly by shady figures, while a tentacle monster advanced towards them.

"Wormmon, you have to evolve! We might still be able to save someone!" Ken pleaded.

"There's no helping them, Ken-kun." Makoto said, in a strangely emotionless tone. After the number in Astamon's chest became zero and he died, the boy went down the stairs, passing by the younger kid. "All you can do now is save yourself and your partner. You can open the gate and escape. I'll have your back."

Ken still couldn't believe what was unfolding before him. "Did you really kill Lilithmon?" The younger boy asked.

"He just murdered Astamon in front of us, there's no way to deny it, Ken-chan." Wormmon had a disgusted tone.

"What was the point of all this?" Wizarmon inquired, angrily.

Daemon emerged from the hall that came from to the dungeons at the same time that Dagomon crossed the door. Instinctively, Wizarmon assumed a fighting pose.

"That is… Beelzeemon?" Dagomon questioned in a taunting way. "What a pitiful form you have now. But that bloodlust couldn't belong to anyone else."

"As if you could talk about others, Leviamon." Wizarmon retorted.

"You, Lucemon's minions, are all pathetic. I could take you all down with one hand." Daemon threatened. He then gazed at Ken. "My precious child, shall we continue from where we had stopped?"

Ken trembled in fear and Wormmon jumped from his arms and was ready to defend his partner. However, Makoto walked forth and pointed the gun at the Demon Lord.

"Nobody will lay a hand on Ken-kun." The older boy stated in an icy tone.

"What…?" Ken asked in confusion. Without turning around, Makoto explained:

"I am sorry you had to see what I've done here." His voice was now full of sorrow. "I swear I don't want to harm you in any way. Please, Ken-kun, take your chance to leave. I'll hold this guy back. Wizarmon, go with him."

Wizarmon didn't take any action. He wanted to understand what was happening. Who was that boy? What were his intentions?

"Say, Makoto. Did you really want to kill Lilithmon and Astamon?" The mage inquired. He could only see the back of the boy, but noticed that the young man's body seemed to have a little convulsion.

"You had said I stroke you as a good person." Makoto's voice sounded as if it was at the point of breaking. "But it's no good to be that way. I can't accomplish anything… I can't save anyone if I allow myself to remain weak."

A gate was opened behind Ken, Wormmon and Wizarmon. Crawling from the hall, a hurt Witchmon was using her last energy to open the portal.

"Witchmon!" Ken cried, as he saw a few particles leaving her body.

"If you are the only one I can save… I won't fail on this…" The woman murmured her last words.

"This child won't go anywhere!" Daemon growled, advancing on Ken. Makoto jumped in front of the monster, grabbed him by the arms, and shouted to Ken to hurry and get out of there. Daemon freed one of his arms and launched the boy against the wall with enough strength to make him pass out.

Wizarmon pushed Ken and Wormmon to the gate right before it closed, and remained in the castle. Witchmon was now dead, Makoto had received a dangerous blow and he was up against a perfect and an ultimate level who he had known in his past. He didn't have any chance to escape alive. However, he was able to save Hikari's and Tailmon's friends. Wizarmon approached Makoto and noticed small tears falling from his eyes. That caused him pain, for some reason.

"That damn witch! I should've made sure I had killed her!" Daemon cursed himself.

"You believe that boy is the Enlightened." Dagomon guessed. "It's a good bet, although I prefer to have my options open."

"And that is a very wise decision!" A voice came from the other side of the saloon. The Merchant was there, with his carriage. "Now that there is no barrier, I can finally come here for business."

"Who are you?" Dagomon and Daemon asked at the same time. Wizarmon took the chance that nobody was paying attention to him and lifted Makoto, gently. By having the boy in his arms, he felt his heart ache. A new gate was opened in front of him and Wizarmon saw, at the other side, a hospital.

"You'd better go and get this boy fixed. He can't die before completing his job." The Merchant instructed Wizarmon. "I can't bother to take care of him now. As you see, I'm in the middle of an important meeting with clients."

"Who are you calling your clients?" Dagomon sounded angry.

"I have information that you want, and you have something I want in return. It's a beneficial situation to us all." The Merchant said, joyfully. "Now, let's talk."

Wizarmon crossed the gate, carrying Makoto. He waved at a doctor who was drinking coffee outside, calling "Help! Please!"

The man ran towards him and, immediately, started examining Makoto.

"What happened? Is he a chosen child?"

"How do you…?"

"My son is one too, and you're obviously a digimon. How did this happen?"

"He was thrown against a rocky wall. It was violent." Wizarmon narrated, nervously, as the doctor called for assistance. "Please, help him!"

"I'll do everything in my power." The man assured.

A little far from there, Ken and Wormmon found themselves in Odaiba. The boy was still shaken.

"Ken-chan, what should we do?" The little digimon asked.

"I… I don't know…" Ken whimpered. "Is Wizarmon going to be alright? What about Makoto-san?"

"You're worried about him too?" Wormmon asked. He thought it made sense. Although Makoto had done those horrible things in the dark dimension, he was very protective of Ken to the point of risking his life to give them a chance to escape. "Is that boy an enemy or an ally?"

"We should meet Hikari-san, Taichi-san and the others right away. They were having a meeting. Maybe they're still awake." Ken decided, taking his phone out of his pocket.

In Lilithmon's castle, the Merchant had made his offer to Dagomon.

"I can go back in being Leviamon and all you want me to do is to fight the Society?" The tentacle digimon questioned, suspicious.

"The Society is a headache I want eliminated."

"What about me?" Daemon asked.

"Well, if you cooperate with Dagomon, you'll have your precious Society back. If you do a good job, I can even return you to being a sacred digimon."

"Are you proposing to make me Holyangemon again?" Daemon showed interest.

"Don't think small. I was going for Seraphimon, at least." The Merchant proposed. "What do you think? After you've won, Leviamon could take all viruses to serve him in the dark dimension, or you two could share the Digital World. It's up to you."

"How does this benefit you?" Dagomon inquired.

"This is my secret. I can only say that I have a great interest in making that Citadel fall. You couldn't ask for a more resourceful ally."

"Who are you?" Dagomon asked one more time. "How did you get this mask on your face?"

"With Lucemon, of course. I found it lying around after his death."

"Were you there when it happened?" Daemon questioned.

"I'm always in the right place and the right time. And, thanks to this mask, you must know that my information is always precise. Now…" the Merchant's tone became colder, "do you intend on continuing this chat for how long? I'm a busy man and might withdraw my offer."

"I think we can discuss a deal." Daemon said in a cautious tone.

"Anyway, you seem too weak to pose a threat to us." Dagomon mocked.

"I am enchanted to hear that." The Merchant returned to his joyful tone. "Now, let's enter my carriage. I've prepared a delicious tea and a wonderful contract."


	9. The nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wizarmon sees something disturbing in the mind of the universe crossing child.  
> Someone calls for Koushiro in a dream.

**Chapter 9: The nightmare**

Wizarmon observed Makoto through the half opened door of the hospital room. The first rays of sun light could be seen coming through the room's window. The boy had been sleeping for many hours. His face had been frowned most of the time. A nurse had found a cell phone in his pocket and contacted someone. The mage wondered if the Merchant was going to appear.

He felt uneasy. It was impossible to stop worrying over the human. However, Wizarmon had no clue for the reason behind that. But he had to figure it out; otherwise he'd lose his mind. The digimon quietly completely opened the room's door and slipped in. Makoto's white jacket and his other clothes were over a chair close by. He was wearing hospital clothes. The mage tried to concentrate on the other's mind. If he could see some of the boy's memories, maybe he would understand their connection.

He had noticed it when he met Makoto outside Ken's house. The human looked at the digimon in awe. Small tears were forming on those brown eyes. Once Wizarmon formally introduced himself and asked the boy's name; the teenager's face became pale. He looked down and shrieked.

"You can call me Katsura-"

"That's not your name." Wizarmon interrupted quickly. The other looked at him in a strange mix of shock and hope.

"How do you know, Wizarmon?"

"I can tell when someone lies to me. If you don't intend to be honest I'll have to read your mind."

The mage tried. All he found was noise.

"I don't understand… I can't read your mind!"

"You don't need to know my name, do you?" The human had adopted a cold tone. "Let's go already. We have work to do."

The digimon remembered their first encounter as he rest his hands on the forehead of the sleeping Makoto.

_I need to concentrate more._ He told himself. Wizarmon closed his eyes. He forced himself past the noise and finally saw something. What he didn't expect was that he wasn't seeing through Makoto's eyes.

He had walked into a strange rocky room. There was a metallic chair with restrains in the middle of it. Strings and cables were connected to the chair and covered the ceiling. Makoto was sitting on the floor, in front of the chair, his back to Wizarmon. He was holding someone in his arms. Suddenly, data particles were seen flying from where Makoto was. A metallic sound was heard when a bloody helmet hit the floor, right next to Makoto. It should have been on his lap. Wizarmon ran to the boy and found him alone, covered in someone else's blood. He still kept his arms in a position that made it seem like he was holding someone. The human had a pained expression as he looked at the empty space between his arms. He trembled as big tears fell from his dead eyes.

"Makoto, what happened?" Wizarmon asked in deep concern. "Where is _he_?"

"I believe it's quite obvious what happened to _that boy_." A malicious voice came from the other side of the room. " _He_ was of great help until the end. And _he_ will continue to be."

A cloaked figure Wizarmon couldn't discern was coming in their direction. Suddenly he felt an enormous wave of rage coming from Makoto, along with a fierce stream of sadness and desperation. Those painful thoughts invaded the digimon's mind mercilessly.

_You killed him. You did this to him. How could you? He trusted you... You tortured him… Now I'll never see him again. I'll never see my little brother again. My little brother... No… NO… Please, no… Bring him back! Give me my little brother back. Please. Please, God… Please, someone… I'll do anything. Let me see him again. I'll do anything… I don't care if I die. I want him back. I want him back… Please, give him back to me… I want him back… Murderer! Murderer! I'll kill you! I'll kill you! You hurt him! You murdered him! I'll make you suffer! I'll kill you! I'll kill you! I'll kill you! I'LL KILL YOU!_

Wizarmon was forcefully pulled out of Makoto's mind by a hand on his shoulder. The Merchant was there, in the hospital's room. He was wearing a raincoat, a scarf and a big hat. The mask still hid his face.

"Do you understand the trouble I had to go through to erase your tracks? This was the worst hospital to bring him." The Merchant complained, picking Makoto's clothes up.

"Then next time you take him to the hospital instead of entertaining Demon Lords." Wizarmon said with annoyance. He was, however, still shaken by what he had experienced.

"I'll assume from here. You're free to go to any place you want until I need your services again."

"You can't just grab Makoto and leave. The doctors and the nurses-"

"As I said," the Merchant's voice was sinister, "I erased your tracks. Now get off of my sight."

Unwilling, Wizarmon opened the window and jumped out of the hospital. The masked being watched as the mage flew into the morning.

The Merchant made a movement with his gloved hands and a bubble formed around Makoto. After a few minutes, the boy woke up fully recovered and the bubble vanished.

"You…" The young man said in a weak voice.

"You look terrible, Makoto-kun. Having nightmares?"

The boy gulped and looked away.

"Don't tell me you're regretting Lilithmon's murder."

"I did what I had to do." The teenager murmured, without conviction.

"Get up, there are people wanting to see you."

"People?"

"Don't play dumb. You contacted them and they gave you a number. You're lucky I intercepted those two before they reached the hospital."

Realization made Makoto jump from the bed.

"Where did you take them?"

"They are safe, waiting for you in their favorite bakery, where I dropped them."

"You'll just let me see them?" Makoto was in disbelief.

"You did a good job today. This is a little reward to show my gratitude."

"Is this… really the case?" Makoto was suspicious. The Merchant leaned toward him and said:

"You came all this way because you wanted your family back. Things must be confusing for you, I don't blame your… weakness."

"Love doesn't make me weak." Makoto stated.

"Love, huh? There are many things you need to understand. I'm giving you the opportunity to do so."

In Taichi's and Hikari's bedroom, when the sun shone on the sibling's faces, it didn't wake them up. The reunion that had started intense only became worse after Ken called Hikari and met them in Yamato's place. The revelation of the boy's visit to the Dark World kept the siblings from sleeping. The chosen children who attended the gathering agreed on having another meeting the following day, with the entire group.

Wizarmon knocked on their window from the outside. Surprised, Tailmon hurried to open it and let him in.

"What the hell happened last night?" Taichi had urgency in his voice.

"Ken told you, right? I don't think I apologized for helping in his accidental kidnapping."

"Who's that mysterious Makoto boy? Why did he kill Lilithmon?" Hikari asked in anguish.

"I'll explain everything to everyone later. But first… would it be too selfish if I talked to Tailmon alone?" Wizarmon pleaded. His voice sounded weak and full of shame and regret. Without anyone saying anything, Tailmon held his hand.

"We'll be back soon." She assured Hikari.

"You better be." Taichi whispered to himself.

Koushiro was running in the dark. Desperately, he looked back and saw nothing. It was hard to breathe. His legs felt heavy. But he couldn't stop. He had to escape.

"It's pointless, Koushiro." A demonic voice came from every direction. "You can never run away from me."

The boy's panic grew.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Koushiro cried. "Don't do that to me again! Please, leave me alone!"

Countless white chains emerged from the ground and bound the boy. He struggled but couldn't free himself.

"No no no no…" His desperation was greater than ever. "Please, no!"

"Your life doesn't belong to you, Koushiro." The voice sounded louder. "Accept already that you are forever mine."

"SOMEONE HELP ME! PLEASE, SOMEONE!"

The chains pulled the young man forward. A ray of white light came from above and shone over a metallic chair with restrains on the arms.

"Not that! Please, not that! Kill me already, kill me but don't put me there again!" Koushiro pleaded among tears.

"You'll never escape this destiny."

"NO!"

"Once more, come to me, my child of light."

"NOOOOO!"

Koushiro woke up on his bed. Tentomon was asleep by his side. The boy had never screamed when having those nightmares, which was the reason nobody ever knew he had them. Trembling, he rose from the bed and walked to the bedroom's door. He opened the door slowly and went to the restroom, closing himself in there. It was small, but the mirror above the faucet made it look bigger. Koushiro opened the faucet and watched the water being expelled. He caught some on his hands and washed his face. Still with the eyes closed, the boy rested his hands on the sink.

"It's not real." He told himself. "Everything is alright. It's not real."

He intended to lift his arms but couldn't do it. It was like they were glued to the sink. Koushiro opened his eyes and saw his arms covered in blood, with silver needles and strings coming out of them. He looked at the mirror and saw his face almost completely red, dripping blood. An iron crown pierced his head with metallic thorns. It felt like fire.

" _You can never escape me, Koushiro."_ The malefic voice said in the back of his mind.

Tentomon woke up after hearing his partner's terrified scream. The bug Digimon raced to the restroom and slammed the door open. He found Koushiro sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall. The human was shaking violently, holding his head with both hands and crying.

"It's not real. It's not real. It's not real." He muttered to himself.

"Koushiro-han!" Tentomon tried to get his friend's attention. "What is wrong? Please, talk to me!"

"I never wished for any of this. I didn't want this to happen. Make it stop. Someone make it stop."

"Koushiro-han, can you hear me?" Tentomon touched the boy's arm gently. That made the chosen child look at him.

""…Tentomon…"

"What happened, Koushiro-han? Why are you like this? Are you scared of something?" Tentomon's voice was almost breaking.

"I'm sorry…" Koushiro's voice was very low. "I had a nightmare… and then I thought I had seen something…"

"Don't apologize for having a nightmare." Tentomon gave his partner a hug. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. It's just that… I don't even understand the dream; I wouldn't know how to describe it…"

"Let me help you to stand up."

Koushiro wrapped his arms around Tentomon and allowed his friend to lift him.

"Thank you… I'm sorry…"

"I've told you already to stop apologizing."

Back to his feet, Koushiro looked at the mirror again and saw his normal reflection. He wiped the tears with the back of his hands and took a deep breath.

"Did I wake my parents up?" The chosen child had urgency in his voice and rushed to the hall. He noticed that the door to his parents' room was open. He peeked inside but found nobody. The kitchen's light was on. He went there with Tentomon. Koushiro checked the outside door. It wasn't locked.

"It's like they left in a hurry. Where would they go in the middle of the night?" The boy murmured.

"I don't know." Tentomon replied, sitting at the table. Koushiro sat across from him and looked down.

"I don't want to talk about that dream."

"I think you'd feel better if you talked about it, Koushiro-han. I don't want to force you… but seeing you like that… it scared me. And I won't stop worrying if you don't tell me something. Please, Koushiro-han…"

"I'm alright."

"STOP SAYING THAT!" Tentomon shouted. "Why are you still lying to me? I just want to help!"

"I don't need help!" Koushiro said angrily, hiding his face in his hands.

"Did it have to do with what the Merchant said? The way he talked about the children who weren't adopted… he was trying to hurt you, wasn't he?"

Koushiro looked up, surprised. Tentomon sunk in the chair, realizing what he had said.

"I-I heard the conversation you had with your parents back when Vamdemon was about to be reborn… I was going to wait until you were ready to discuss that with me…" The bug digimon's tone was apologetically and ashamed.

"Oh, Tentomon…" Now, Koushiro was the one who seemed to be ashamed. "I'm so sorry."

"Koushiro-han, you're not obliged to tell me anything. I don't want to make you feel guilty over it. I just…"

"You want to help me." Koushiro felt guilty. Tentomon was being kind and he was making him concerned. Again. He should have learnt not to do that. "I'm not a good friend, am I?"

"Koushiro-han…"

"When I… when I found out that I was adopted…" Koushiro wanted to be honest with Tentomon. He felt he owed his friend that, especially after everything they went through together. "… I didn't really understand what that meant. I knew that my parents weren't connected to me by blood but I didn't know what to think of it. So I turned on the computer to find answers… but what I found made me feel…"

Koushiro looked down again. Tentomon noticed that he was shaking.

"Tentomon, human beings can be vile sometimes… they make up lies and make people feel horrible for things out of their control… but back then I didn't understand that. I thought it was all true… I thought that I was something worthless that could only bring disgrace to my parents. I thought that I was in a lower level compared to every other person in the world. So I tried to be… I tried not to ever cause problems to anyone. I wanted to help others the best I could… I tried to be the best son possible to my parents. But I end up making others worry about me. I want to change myself. I know what I have to do but I mess up everything all the time."

Koushiro's voice was breaking, and Tentomon felt his heart ache.

"You don't need to force yourself to change all at once, Koushiro-han. You're not the same person you were when we met. You might not notice it but you are getting better." The bug Digimon tried to cheer his friend up.

"Tentomon, you don't understand." The boy continued. He still kept his head down. "There's a part of me you don't know about. Nobody knows about it. It's like there's a force inside me always holding me back. A force I can't escape nor break free from… a force that stops me in my tracks. And even though I want to be honest with you and the others… even though I know I have to confront it… this thing in me doesn't let me burden anyone with my problems. It makes me feel so guilty… and so afraid." A couple of tears fell from the boy's eyes, which made his friend cross over the table and hug him tightly.

"You're not burdening anyone." Tentomon assured. "You have so many people who love you, Koushiro-han. So many people who want your best. And I just want you to be happy."

"I know… but still I…"

"I am glad you told me this."

The human boy could tell that his friend was being sincere. However, the reason behind that escaped his understanding.

"Why?"

"To tell me this required a lot of courage from you. It was hard but you just surpassed the force that paralyzes you."

"There's still so much more…"

"No need to hurry. Take a step at a time, Koushiro-han. I'll be right here to help you. And even when you fail to beat the resistance, I'll still be right here. Until you're no longer scared. And even after that."

The two of them stayed in silence for long minutes. The chosen child hugged Tentomon back, hesitantly.

"I wonder if those children felt the same thing." Koushiro whispered. "If they believed they had no worth… but then, when they thought they had found meaning in their lives, they were betrayed. Whatever I've been through can't compare to that. I don't know what I would do if it had happened to me."

"That will never happen to you. I swear." The digimon had a dead serious tone.

"Tentomon, I didn't mean-"

"I know. Sorry. I meant that I'll never let anyone hurt you."

Tentomon felt Koushiro's body get stiff suddenly. The human broke the hug.

"I think I'm going to buy something for us to eat." The chosen child said, standing up and looking away. "There's a bakery my parents like a lot that has-"

"Koushiro-han, it's okay." Tentomon had a patient tone. "I won't be upset if you want some alone time to think things over."

"Tentomon, I…" The boy wanted to say so many things. Yet, he couldn't find the right words. He felt his voice being sucked by his insides. "S-sorry… thank you…"

"You can still buy me something tasty if it makes you feel better." Tentomon chuckled. Koushiro gave him a little smile, replying "yes."

The boy put on jeans and a hooded coat, grabbed his wallet and went to the bakery. As soon as he arrived there, he saw a couple of girls giggling and pointing to a table a little far from the entrance.

"It's so cute. You don't usually see teens coming with their parents to eat breakfast." One of them said.

Koushiro glanced at the direction indicated by the girls and felt his body freeze.

His parents were sitting across from the boy with the white jacket he had seen the day before.


	10. Necropolis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Koushiro finds himself in a strange place, where he's confronted by... himself.

**Chapter 10: Necropolis**

Koushiro found himself sitting on a chair in front of a table covered with a white sheet with rose drawings. Across from him, there was another Koushiro, who had his face and upper body tainted red by his own blood. The other boy smiled gently and waved his hand above the table. Two tea cups appeared, one in front of each boy.

Koushiro looked around, trying to make sense of where he was. It seemed to be a dark chamber, badly illuminated by a chandelier above the table. It was not possible to devise anything beyond the mobile. The boy felt an air current at his back and inferred that there should be a door or a window in that direction.

"Don't be shy; it's our favorite flavor." The other Koushiro said, indicating the cups of tea, from which a delicious scent came.

"This is a dream." Koushiro murmured. "I saw you in the mirror…"

"That tends to happen when the time approaches. That nightmare of you running away and being chained to the chair, however, was new." The boy soaked in blood explained, sipping on his cup. "That was the murderer's doing."

"What murderer?" Koushiro questioned, fearful.

"My murderer, of course. Although, I suppose he counts as yours too." The other replied calmly.

"What are you…" Koushiro was shaking. "How could I have a murderer?"

"You have a murderer because you were murdered." The other stated the obvious.

"I WASN'T MURDERED!" Koushiro shouted, standing up. "I'M ALIVE! I'M RIGHT HERE!"

"Suuure." The bloody boy said with sarcasm. "Obviously, living people usually have chats with alternative versions of themselves."

"I'm just dreaming…" Koushiro muttered, walking backwards and finding a knob. He opened the door and crossed it. What the teenager found at the other side was the bakery he had visited to buy something to Tentomon. He could see his past self hiding his face under a hood and sitting at the table behind the one in which his parents and the boy who had introduced himself as Katsura Shinsuke were talking.

"Do you remember this?" The Koushiro soaked in blood asked, standing by his side.

"How can I remember this from this angle?" Koushiro could not understand.

"Because it's how I saw the scene unfolding." The other explained.

"You were there?" The first teenager asked, surprised.

"I am everywhere, all the time." The bloody child affirmed with no sentiment, getting close to the couple. Koushiro followed him.

"I did as the Merchant instructed me." The boy with brown hair murmured in shame. "I killed Lilithmon and because of that the digimon under her protection were massacred. Right now, those two devils are destroying the Digital World. The Society and the chosen children will fight them and I'll take the chance to sneak into the Citadel and destroy the machine in the sacrificial chamber. I can't tell how many will die because of what I did."

"Are you having doubts, Makoto?" Izumi Masami asked.

"No!" The teenager stated. "I'll sacrifice everything to have my family back!"

"We know." Yoshie held the boy's hand gently. "And we'll support you through everything, son."

"No matter the cost, we want our child safe and with us." Masami affirmed.

"Thank you, Mom, Dad…" Makoto said, beginning to cry.

Koushiro still remembered how confused and devastated that conversation had made him. He watched his parents and the teenager leave the place and went to where his past self was sitting. He saw a horrified expression on his pale face and tears accumulating in his eyes. Then, a man in a black coat and fedora sat across from the boy with the hooded coat. The man took the hat off and placed it on the table. He was young and had gray hair and blue eyes.

"I see that you have met your big brother, Koushiro." The man spoke. His voice was immediately recognized and the Koushiro from the past looked up to him, in shock.

"Merchant?" His voice was almost inaudible. "So you were human all along."

"This will be the last day we'll see each other, Koushiro. I may introduce myself properly. I am Sorachi Shinsuke, only survival from the original chosen children."

"He's telling the truth." The boy covered in blood whispered in Koushiro's ear as they watched the interaction between the man and the Koushiro from the past.

"How did you survive?" Past Koushiro asked the Merchant.

"This is not what you should be curious about." Shinsuke said, raising an eyebrow. "Come on; make the question that is torturing you."

"Who's that boy?" Past Koushiro inquired, after a couple of seconds of hesitation.

"His name is Izumi Makoto. He's their son who came from a parallel universe in which he did not die right after being born." The Merchant explained.

"This is absurd!" Past Koushiro did not want to believe in that. "This is one of your plans! You're trying to trick my parents! Why?!"

"I have simply brought a lost boy to a different world so he could have his family back. What I'm telling you is exactly what he told me."

"LIAR!"

"You don't believe me?" The Merchant sounded amused. He opened his coat and took a small backpack from an inner pocket. The man opened it on the table and showed what was inside the backpack: his white mask.

"This is the mask of omniscience that once belonged to Lucemon. It was made from the same material of a helmet said to be bounded to Homeostasis and, therefore, it shows you anything you want to know."

"And you're just giving it to me?" Past Koushiro found the other suspicious.

"There's a price for it, obviously." The Merchant told him, closing the backpack and smiling with malice. "Once you touch the mask, you'll do as I say."

"What would that be? Something awful, I assume." The boy questioned.

"Not gonna give you spoilers." The Merchant smirked, standing up. "My carriage will be at the park from yesterday, for when you come to me."

"I won't put on this mask! Neither am I going to be a pawn to you!" Past Koushiro stated with cold rage.

"Oh, Koushiro, you're so wrong." The Merchant mocked him.

Koushiro saw himself again at the table in the dark chamber, with the same cup of tea in his front and the bleeding version of himself sitting across from him.

"He was talking about the helmet that killed me." The other Koushiro explained. "It pierced my brain and uploaded my mind to a program my murderer had developed. That program is called by different names depending on the universe I go. I believe you know it as Homeostasis. I'm bounded to the helmet and I'm connected to all of you."

"What are you saying? What do you mean by 'all of me?'"

"All of the different versions of you who exist in all the different universes. After I was created… or killed… my murderer took me to the beginning of a different universe and there I existed until its end. I have gone through this cycle at least ten times. Billions of billions of years… but during those I felt alive for a few decades. I experienced everything from Koushiro's birth to his death… even if from a distance." He spoke with nostalgia.

"This is ridiculous!" Koushiro refused to believe in any of that. "This is a nightmare!"

"Only the living have nightmares, Koushiro."

"I AM ALIVE!"

"Then, why are you not breathing?"

Until that moment, Koushiro had not realized it. He put the fingers of his right hand in front of his nose and no air came from it. He also was not able to pull air in. The boy put his left hand on his chest and tried to feel his heart. But there was no heartbeat.

"I-I'm alive…" The trembling teenager let the tears fall from his eyes. "I have to be…"

"Remember what else happened. You went home, with the Merchant's backpack. Your parents were already there. Jyou-san was talking to Tentomon. When he saw you, he said that Taichi had called everybody from the group because something had happened in the Digital World and Wizarmon had a shocking revelation. You asked Tentomon to go with him and said that you'd follow them soon… but first you had to talk to your parents."

"NO!" Koushiro had a pleading tone. "I don't want to remember that!"

But the memories took over his mind. He remembered being in the kitchen, alone with the couple. They looked at him anxiously.

"What is it, Dear?" His mother asked, visibly nervous.

"This is very serious and I need you to be honest with me." He asked. "What did that boy tell you, exactly?"

"What boy? What are you talking about?" His father tried to act as if everything was alright.

"I'm talking about Makoto." Koushiro said, watching as terror filled his parents' eyes.

"What do you know?" Yoshie had urgency in her voice. "How much do you know about his objectives?"

"Please, tell me that you don't believe in that nonsense about him being your deceased son from a parallel universe." Koushiro pleaded. "He's working with a vicious man called Merchant to bring devastation to the Digital World! You're being lied to! You're being manipulated!"

"We know what we're doing and what he's doing!" Yoshie protested. "Makoto is telling the truth and we'll help him to achieve his goal, no matter what!"

"What goal, Mom?! What could justify you being accomplice to the assassination of digimon?!"

"You don't know." Masami sounded relieved. "You have no idea why he's doing that."

"From what I heard, he wants his family back and you want your son with you…" Koushiro felt deeply hurt.

"It's not what you think!" Yoshie tried to explain but Masami held her by the wrist and gave her a disapproving look.

"Then what is it? What is your explanation?" Koushiro insisted.

"We can't tell you! You have to trust us!" His father told him.

"How could you just believe in that guy?" Koushiro felt like crying. "It only took a random boy to say that he's your dead son to make you buy that story?"

"He didn't need to tell us anything! We knew who he was from the second we saw him!" Yoshie stated. "We felt it! He's our son! Our little boy!"

"I don't believe it!" The boy said, shaking.

"I guess it's not something you can understand!" Masami lashed out. He seemed to regret it right away. Koushiro did not stay to listen to their apologies. He ran from them, crying.

Without noticing it, the boy had come to the park and found the carriage. He remembered about the mask in the backpack he was still carrying but resisted the urge to take it out. He would not allow the Merchant to manipulate him like he had manipulated his parents.

"Makoto is still here." The Merchant said, coming out of the carriage. "Have you given up on getting your answers?"

"I won't ever forgive you for fooling my parents!" Koushiro spoke with rage. "I'll make you pay for it! I'll make you suffer!"

"I know." The man said, stepping aside from the entrance of the carriage and letting the boy in. "The last door in the corridor."

The teenager crossed the saloon and gained the corridor, going to the door the Merchant had indicated. When he opened it, he saw Makoto's back. The boy wearing the white jacket was revising a map on his desk. Koushiro closed the door behind him. There was a bookshelf nearby.

"Shinsuke-san, I believe the best way to get in the chamber is through the south. Are we ready to go?" Makoto asked without turning around.

"What did you call me? 'Shinsuke?'" Koushiro asked, bitterly. "Was that not the name you used to introduce yourself, _Makoto-san_?"

Makoto turned around slowly. When he faced the redhead, he was livid and terrified.

"Why are you here?" The other's voice was almost inaudible.

"Tell me who you are, what you want and why you're tricking my parents!" Koushiro ordered, coldly.

"Shin-" Makoto was about to call when he stopped midsentence. "MERCHANT!"

"Oh, stop it! I know who he is! Who do you think brought me here?!" Koushiro roared.

"I… I don't understand…" Makoto was confused and mortified. "He told me you couldn't know… he told me everything would be pointless if you found out! Then why did he bring you here? What do you know?"

"What was I not supposed to find out?" Koushiro's voice almost broke. "That you want my parents to believe that you're their dead son?"

"I am their son!" The other boy stated vehemently. "I am Izumi Makoto!"

"Really?" Koushiro wanted to stay skeptical but it was becoming harder. Now that he was staring at the teenager, he could notice many traits that the other boy shared with Masami and Yoshie. He had his mother's eyes and hair, and his father's nose and chin. Even the way he moved his hands and how his voice became higher when he was nervous were similar to how his mother acted. It was painful to look at him.

"Please, go away." Makoto asked. "I have work to do but you need to stay out of my way."

"You want me out of your way?" Koushiro murmured, disgusted. "I see… you want to take my family from me…"

"What are you talking about? It's nothing like that!" Makoto had a shocked expression.

"THEN WHAT IS IT?!" Koushiro demanded to know.

"I CAN'T TELL YOU!" The other insisted on keeping the secret.

Koushiro lifted his hands above his head in frustration and leaned against the bookshelf. Soon, he had sunk to his knees.

"You didn't understand anything." The boy covered in blood told Koushiro from across the table, bringing him back from his memories. "You called Taichi-san, desperate, but he didn't even let you finish your explanation before cutting you off."

"Taichi-san was busy with his mission in the Digital World… a diversion the Merchant had planned to allow Makoto to sneak into the Citadel…"

"Which was a diversion created so Makoto wouldn't anticipate what that child's true plan was: to make you confront each other and force you to touch that mask." The other Koushiro replied. "You really were losing yourself. You even broke your phone when Taichi hung up."

Koushiro remembered doing that. Right after, he stood up and made one last attempt to know the truth from Makoto.

"You can't be their son!" The boy with red hair made an affirmation. "My parents are the kindest and most loving people I know! Their son would never help a maniac to kill innocent digimon! You have to be an impostor! Who are you?!"

Makoto held Koushiro by the face and forced the smaller boy to look into his eyes.

"I realize that you have never met me before." He had a heartbreaking tone. "But you're still _him_ in a way so I need you to understand! I'm not doing these horrible things because I'm some demon! It pains me to take those lives but I'll do everything necessary! I don't care if I'm going to burn in Hell! I'll tear universes apart if I have to because that's how powerful my love is!"

"Love for my parents?" Koushiro asked in low voice. Makoto smiled at him as two tears dropped from his eyes.

"Love for my brother." He answered, caressing the smaller boy's face.

Disturbed, Koushiro walked away from him.

"Lies… you're lying to me…"

"My brother Koushiro was brutally killed by a digimon who used him as a guinea pig! And that monster is still out there, killing different versions of my brother! Torturing him in uncountable universes!"

"Madness!"

"That monster came here telling stories about an Enlightened who would grant someone the power of God if sacrificed! He gave power to the Demon Lords and the Sacred Society, he used and discarded Shinsuke-san and the other chosen children and all of it was for you! He wants to kill you and after he's done with it, he'll go to another universe and kill you again! He'll do that forever! I'm trying to stop him! Kou…" Makoto was now crying profusely. "… I'm begging you to believe in me. Everything I'm doing is to save you!"

"You didn't want to believe in him." The Koushiro covered in blood accused. "Onii-san had opened his heart and sacrificed so much but you didn't want to believe in him!"

"It couldn't be right… I couldn't accept it…" Koushiro tried to defend himself.

"You couldn't bear the weight of his love!" The other spoke with contempt.

"Who would believe in that?" Koushiro questioned, hiding his face behind his hands. "Who would believe that someone would go that far for me?!"

"What happened next was entirely your fault." The bloody one stated. "You opened the backpack and reached for the mask. The second you touched it, Homeostasis was forced to inhabit your body. Your heart stopped instantaneously. Right now, your body is a puppet corpse burning from the inside out."

"Corpse? N-no… n-no…" Koushiro cried, more scared than he had ever been in his life. He fell on the floor and noticed that the chairs and the table had vanished. The bleeding boy stared at him with coldness and walked in his direction. Koushiro crawled backwards but did not find a door or any other way to escape.

"Human beings are such pitiful creatures, don't you think? The day the bearer of knowledge doesn't think things through, chaos unfolds." The other Koushiro kneeled in front of him. "And now it's up to me to clean your mess."

"I can't die like this…" Koushiro was in denial. "Tentomon was waiting for me… my parents and I departed on bad terms… this is not fair… I can't just die and leave them like that!"

The other Koushiro caressed his cheek gently and said.

"If it serves as consolation, you'll always exist in my memories. But it's time for your conscience to fade away. Your story ends here."

"NOOO!" Koushiro screamed before everything became completely dark.

In the room inside the carriage, Makoto watched in horror how Koushiro had started to scream in agony the second he had pulled the Merchant's mask from inside the backpack he had been carrying. White hieroglyphs appeared on his body at the same time that the Merchant opened the door of the room, with a triumphant smile.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?" Makoto asked in despair. "YOU NEVER TOLD ME YOU WERE GOING TO HURT KOUSHIRO!"

"Hurt him?" Shinsuke giggled. "That boy is dead! All there is now is Homeostasis! This is the moment our wishes will become reality, Makoto!"

"S-so much pain!" Koushiro exclaimed suddenly but there was something off in his tone of voice. He sounded annoyed. "I had already f-forgotten how horrible pain can be!"

"Homeostasis, you will do as I say!" Shinsuke ordered, enthusiastically.

"STOP IT!" Makoto begged. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

"It's pointless." Koushiro sounded defeated, yet he gave Makoto a soft smile. His eyes were flooding with tears. "F-for as long as this body endures I am forced to do as he says… those were the terms of the deal he had made with the K-Koushiro from this universe."

Makoto froze. _He sounds like… no… he can't be…_

"Nevertheless…" Koushiro continued to talk. "It's fortunate that I can see you again… Onii-san."


	11. Bird

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Merchant's plan is in full motion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Digimon or any tale of the brothers Grimm.

"He just lost his parents and survived a car crash." Yoshie told the little boy. He had accompanied his parents to the Hospital, where the son of his father's cousin was. "He needs all our help and support."

"How is he like?" Makoto asked, curious.

"Red hair, deep black eyes…" Masami had begun to explain.

"But how is his personality? Is he nice?" Makoto questioned. His parents exchanged concerned glances.

"Koushiro hasn't spoken anything since…" Yoshie could not finish the sentence.

"It's no problem. I'm sure that he's going to talk to me." Makoto said with optimism.

The couple and the child entered the Hospital bedroom, where they found the red-haired kid fully dressed. Masami and Yoshie greeted him and Makoto introduced himself. However, Koushiro kept a blank expression on his face and stayed in silence. He said no word during the trip to the Izumis' apartment, during the dinner or while a futon was prepared for him in Makoto's bedroom. Alone with the other kid, Makoto decided to put more effort into trying to get Koushiro to talk.

The boy with curly black hair and light brown eyes took a story book from a shelf. Then, he sat on his bed and invited the smaller kid to join him.

"Do you know a tale from the brothers Grimm called 'The shepherd boy?'" Makoto asked. Koushiro denied with his head. "It's my favorite. Do you mind if I read it for you?

Koushiro stayed quiet, which motivated Makoto to start reading in loud voice:

"There was once upon a time a shepherd boy whose fame spread far and wide because of the wise answers which he gave to every question. The King of the country heard of it likewise, but did not believe it, and sent for the boy. Then he said to him, 'if you can give me an answer to three questions which I will ask you, I will look on you as my own child, and you shall dwell with me in my royal palace.' The boy said, 'what are the three questions?' The King said, 'the first is, how many drops of water are there in the ocean?' The shepherd boy answered, 'lord King, if you will have all the rivers on Earth dammed up so that not a single drop runs from them into the sea until I have counted it, I will tell you how many drops there are in the sea.' The King said, 'the next question is, how many stars are there in the sky?' The shepherd boy said, 'give me a great sheet of white paper,' and then he made so many fine points on it with a pen that they could scarcely be seen, and it was all but impossible to count them, anyone who looked at them would have lost his sight. Then he said, 'there are as many stars in the sky as there are points on the paper. Just count them.' But no one was able to do it. The King said, 'the third question is, how many seconds of time are there in eternity?' Then said the shepherd boy, 'in lower Pomerania is the diamond mountain, which is two miles high, two miles wide, and two miles deep. Every hundred years a little bird comes and sharpens its beak on it, and when the whole mountain is worn away by this, then the first second of eternity will be over.' The King said,' you have answered the three questions like a wise man, and shall henceforth dwell with me in my royal palace, and I will regard you as my own child.'"

After finishing the story, Makoto noticed that Koushiro had become sickly pale. The child with red hair slowly opened his mouth and murmured:

"What are the questions that I must answer?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Makoto did not understand.

"In order for me to stay with your family, don't I need to answer three questions?" Koushiro asked.

"What? No!" Makoto got nervous. "Oh, God! No! I-I didn't… it was just a random story; I thought you would like it… I'm so dumb! I should've picked a different one!"

"You're not dumb. Sorry for over thinking." Koushiro had an apologetic tone. "That story you told was very sad."

"What are you talking about?" Makoto raised an eyebrow. "The shepherd boy became a Prince. His life got a lot better."

"But the diamond mountain was worn away by the bird." Koushiro said, melancholic. "Nothing is eternal in this world. All that exists ends…"

"That can't be right." Makoto disagreed. "There are things that never end. I'm sure of it."

"Like what?" Koushiro asked, hopeful.

"I don't know yet… but give me some time and I'll show you something eternal." Makoto said with confidence.

**Chapter 11: Bird**

It was an emergency reunion in the Citadel. Inside Alphamon's office, a select group of digimon was watching a projection of a battle between the chosen children and two Demon Lords and their armies who had returned from the darkness. The forces of the Society were at promptitude, guarding the Citadel.

"Do you believe the survivors of that confrontation will march against us?" Valkyrimon asked.

"Wizarmon is with them." Bastetmon pointed to the mage visible in the hologram, aiding the chosen children. "It's possible that he's working with the Merchant."

"It greatly annoys me to hear that copycat being referred as _the_ Merchant." A husk voice came from the entrance of the room. A figure wearing a magenta robe and who had the head and the shoulders covered by a white veil walked into the place. His yellow eyes were the only visible things in his face. "I'm the original Merchant; I am the one who deserves that _the_ before my alias."

"Sage!" Valkyrimon made a reverence. "This is a grave situation! Yagami Hikari and Ichijouji Ken are among the ones fighting Demon and Leviamon! If the Enlightened is captured…"

"The Enlightened has already been captured." The Sage declared. "Shinsuke-chan has fused the kid with Homeostasis and they're coming here."

The other digimon gulped, clearly afraid. Screams were heard coming from the projection. The enemies of the chosen children were spontaneously combusting.

"It seems that the carnage has begun." The Sage commented, bemused. "I'd better leave before you guys begin to die horribly."

A giant book appeared under his feet and the Sage began to sink into the pages.

"STOP RIGHT THERE, WISEMON!" Alphamon roared, taking his sword out. "EVERYTHING WE DID WAS FOLLOWING YOUR ORDERS! YOU KNEW WHO THE ENLIGHTENED WAS ALL ALONG? AND YOU LET THE MERCHANT GET HIS HANDS ON HIM?!"

"Well, well, well." Wisemon chuckled. "I do this in almost every world I visit: deceive some fools with promises of power and architect a plan to kill Koushiro with the hopes of overwriting Homeostasis. But this is a special world. Shin-chan provided me a better chance of getting rid of a faulty program than you lot could."

"I betrayed my friend for you…" Alphamon had fury in his voice, "all of us… you said it was the only way to keep the world safe!"

"Don't blame your sociopathy on me." Wisemon said, right before completely disappearing into the book, that closed itself and vanished.

"W-what do we do?" Bastetmon asked.

"Fool! We have Alphamon-sama on our side! Not even God can-" Valkyrimon was saying but he suddenly exploded in data particles. Bastetmon screamed as the same happened to her. Alphamon ran from the room, heading to the hall of the Citadel's main palace. Cries of agony came from everywhere and the air was becoming filled with data particles. At the hall, a carriage was waiting. Its door was opened and an adult man and two teenage boys left it.

"Shin-chan…" Alphamon muttered.

"Come along, Homeostasis." Shinsuke ordered. Koushiro walked behind the man, looking down. Makoto watched everything with increasingly desperation.

"Kou!" He called. "Please! You have to resist! Fight back!"

"Homeostasis, take him somewhere else!" Shinsuke commanded, irritated.

Makoto vanished.

When he noticed it, he had fallen on the hot sand of a desert.

"It's him! It's Makoto-san!" He heard a familiar voice coming from his right. Makoto stood up and turned around. Ken, Wizarmon and the other chosen children and their digimon were there.

"That's the guy who helped those villains in the dark ocean?" Daisuke inquired, spiteful.

"As I explained this morning, during the reunion prior to our incursion, I believe Makoto had his reasons to do what he did." Wizarmon said.

Yamato got close to Makoto, accompanied by Sora.

"Wizarmon told us that you lost your brother. Is that true?" Yamato asked. Makoto paled, in surprise.

"How do you… did Shinsuke-san say anything?"

"Shinsuke-san?" Hikari questioned. "Isn't that one of the deceased chosen children?"

"Shinsuke-san is the Merchant. He's also the only survivor of that group." Makoto explained.

"I can't believe it!" Takeru was perplexed. "All this time we were dealing with an ordinary human? And a former chosen child?!"

"I think we have more urgent things to worry about now." Sora said. "Like why the digimon we were fighting against suddenly died."

Makoto gulped. He remembered, back in the carriage, how Shinsuke had ordered Koushiro to eliminate the Demon Lords and their allies and then everybody in the Citadel except Alphamon.

"I don't have time for this!" The boy with curly black hair had urgency in his voice. "I need to go back and help Kou!"

"Kou?" Taichi inquired, seriously. "Are you talking about Koushiro? Why would he need help?"

"The Merchant deceived him… he fooled both of us…" Makoto felt like crying. "Now, he's controlling Kou and forcing him to do horrible things…"

"That can't be true!" Taichi refused to believe in that. "I talked to Koushiro by the telephone before coming here! He was fine!"

The former leader of the chosen children remembered with details the short conversation he had with the redhead while Wizarmon (who had already returned with Tailmon) was telling the other children about his theories. Koushiro sounded desperate and said that he needed to talk to Taichi about his family. Taichi refused to listen; and the other began to beg; the brown-haired boy hung up the phone. Taichi had no other choice; had he not done that, the Merchant would kill Hikari. Nevertheless, his guilt was immense.

"Right, he _was_!" A voice suddenly came from their left. Wisemon was walking in their direction. That sight triggered a storm of violent emotions in Makoto, which Wizarmon felt. The boy was about to reach the gun in his belt but Wisemon had quickly materialized in his front and handcuffed him.

"Let Makoto go!" Wizarmon ordered, pointing his staff at Wisemon.

"You've got another little mage for partner, Makoto-kun? How adorable!" The Sage mocked, stepping back while fiercely holding the teenager.

"Murderer!" Makoto roared, unable to do anything. "I'm going to kill you!"

"You'll certainly try." Wisemon chuckled. The mage's giant book appeared under their feet. Makoto and the Sage began to sink, being absorbed by the pages. Before Wizarmon could do anything, strange white light enveloped his body. When he realized it, he was back at Taichi's apartment, along with the chosen children and their digimon, who had devolved to child level (adult level, in the case of Tailmon).

"NO!" Wizarmon shouted. Myako hurried to the computer, with her digivice in hands. The portal did not open.

"What just happened?" Ken inquired, shocked.

"We were forcibly brought back to the real world and now the gate is closed!" Myako explained.

"What do we do? We have to go back there!" Takeru was desperate.

Hikari noticed that her brother had pulled out his cell phone and had dialed a number. She could hear him murmuring:

"Please, pick up. Please, be okay. Koushiro… I'm so sorry… please…"

Makoto fell and hit a hard floor. He looked up and found the open book floating above him. Wisemon, who was by his side, grabbed the boy by the arm and forced him to stand.

"Now, be a good hostage and come with me." Wisemon said. They were in the hall of a palace. The Merchant's carriage was visible some meters in their front.

"What do you want with me?!" Makoto demanded to know.

"It'd be bad if you had been sent away by Homeostasis along with those brats. That problematic program closed all the gates of the Digital World in order to get me. If I have you by my side, he won't destroy this world."

"What are you talking about?! Kou wouldn't-"

"I'm immortal, there's no other way to get rid of me besides destroying this whole plan of existence." Wisemon explained as if it was obvious.

"Koushiro would never destroy the Digital World!" Makoto stated with ferocity. "I know my brother! He's incapable of hurting anyone!"

"STOP!" A desperate cry was heard. Wisemon and Makoto ran in its direction and found Shinsuke floating in the air, seemingly in agony. Koushiro watched him with a satisfied expression.

"I was never really under your control, Shinsuke-kun." The boy with red hair said. "I was just having fun at your expense."

"Don't kill me, please!" Shinsuke begged.

"You didn't mind when Alphamon was the one saying that." Koushiro taunted.

"I was just a victim! Everything I did was to bring them justice!" Shinsuke shouted.

"And now I'll bring justice to you, Merchant." The boy said with a dark grin. Shinsuke's body was undone into several data particles.

Makoto couldn't believe his eyes. Wisemon held him in his front by the arms but allowed the boy to slowly walk in the direction of the other.

"Kou, what have you done?" He asked, in horror. Koushiro looked at him with surprise.

"Why weren't you teleported?" The red-haired teenager asked.

"He's not going anywhere without me!" Wisemon said.

"Coward!" Koushiro hissed.

"Kou…" Makoto had a heartbroken tone of voice. "This is not you! My brother would never willingly kill someone in cold blood! What happened to you?!"

Koushiro glanced at the other boy for a couple of minutes before replying deadly serious:

"A bird."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like the tale of the shepherd boy.


	12. I am (not) Izumi Koushiro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After billions of years, Koushiro meets his brother again.

"Are you sure you don't want my white jacket borrowed? Hikari-chan would fall even more in love with you." Makoto teased his brother, who was trying on a purple jacket in front of a mirror in his bedroom.

"Hikari-san isn't in love with me. She just invited me to go to see the Christmas lights with her." Koushiro dismissed.

"Sure. And the fact that she asked Tentomon to go shopping with her probably has nothing to do with her wanting to know what to buy you." Makoto laughed.

Koushiro sighed, embarrassed. It was typical of his brother to assume that everybody had the redhead in high regards to the same level he did. Koushiro knew that Hikari was just nice to everybody. Makoto had been invited as well, after all, but refused to go. The older boy had not been on the mood for such things since their parents had died one year before.

The screen of Koushiro's laptop began to shine over his bed. A figure emerged from it.

"Merry Christmas, Wisemon." The younger brother greeted.

"Oi." Makoto seemed to be annoyed. "You better not be here to drag Kou to work on that computer project tonight. He has a date!"

"It's not a date." Koushiro corrected his brother. "Is there something wrong, Wisemon?"

"Nothing at all!" The digimon was cheerful. "I just need your help for a little while. Homeostasis will be complete today."

"That's incredible!" Koushiro was enthusiastic. "The Digital World will be so much safer now! Have you worked on the AI problem?"

"Your help is exactly what I need to solve it." Wisemon told him.

"Alright!" The younger boy said, grabbing his digivice.

"Kou! You promised to go out with Hikari-chan! She won't forgive you if you get late!" Makoto reprehended him.

"Don't worry." Koushiro showed a reassuring smile. "I'll be right back!"

**Chapter 12: I am (not) Izumi Koushiro**

_Where am I?_ Koushiro wondered, opening his eyes. He felt pain in his whole body. He saw himself chained to a metallic chair; stringed needles was stuck on his arms. The boy followed the strings with his eyes and looked at the ceiling, which was completely covered by strings and cables connected to the chair.

 _Is this inside… Homeostasis?_ He asked himself. Koushiro remembered very little. Wisemon had teased him about Hikari; the boy had said that the girl was too perfect to consider having anything with him. Then, Wisemon gave him a cup of tea. It was bitter and the boy only drank half of it. It did not take long for him to feel sleepy.

 _He drugged me!_ Koushiro's entire body trembled when he understood what had happened. He tried to free himself from the restraints but it was impossible.

"You already woke up?" Wisemon's voice came from an audio device somewhere behind the chair. "To think I went through all the trouble to prevent you from feeling pain. Well, I can't stop the process now."

"Process?!" Koushiro inquired, afraid. "What are you talking about?"

"I thought I had told you that I needed your help to solve the AI problem." Wisemon explained, calmly."I'm going to completely scan your neural system and upload the data to Homeostasis. Your brilliant mind will be a perfect basis for my greatest creation."

"Scan? Am I going to be okay?" Koushiro tried to hold to any hope he had.

"Sadly, you won't resist the process." Wisemon informed. "But be proud! Your sacrifice is necessary for Homeostasis to be complete. Thanks to you, many Digital Worlds will be safe."

"No…" Koushiro murmured. That couldn't be serious. It was one of Wisemon's jokes, right? He wasn't really going to kill him, right? All hope the boy had was lost when he felt something heavy and cold being attached to his head.

"Don't d-do this to me! P-please, don't kill me!"He began to cry. "I don't want to die! Please, don't kill me! DON'T KILL ME!"

He could feel hundreds of little needles force their way against his skull. Then, they entered his brain. It was the most intense pain he had ever felt. Koushiro screamed his lungs out and contorted in the chair for what felt like an eternity. He no longer had coherent thoughts.

All that existed was excruciating pain and fear.

* * *

 _Where am I?_ Koushiro asked himself. _I don't… feel anything… I don't feel my body… I can't see anything…_

"That guy sure was bothersome. Thanks to his temper, I had to leave that universe before completely setting you up, Homeostasis."

_Is this Wisemon? Setting me up? Did he just call me Homeostasis?_

"It seems that you got a lot of corruption from Koushiro's agony. Maybe I should've sedated him again before continuing. It's going to be messy to fix this."

_Sedate..? Fix…? I… I… Wisemon killed me! You killed me! You killed me!_

"YOU KILLED ME!"

Koushiro remembered how to shout. Perhaps, he could concentrate on other things and remember them as well.

"What?" Wisemon sounded surprised. "How did you write in my interface? I didn't allow that action."

"You can't… control me…" Koushiro was having difficulty to speak. He felt dizzy. _I can't concentrate… I can't focus…_

"I'll fix these glitches in no time." Wisemon spoke.

_Concentrate! Resist! I can't let him control me… I…_

His memories were slipping away.

_My name… what was my name? It wasn't Homeostasis! I was human… I had a brother and friends… I… my name… how did I look like…? The mirror… the reflection… I remember… my hands… my legs… my head…_

The memory of the needles entering his brain stroke him at full force and the boy screamed, falling on his back.

Falling on his back?

He could feel his body. But it was different from before. It felt too light and there was almost no sensation in it. But Koushiro could control his movements, or at least he thought he could.

The teenager managed to stand up. With more concentration, he was able to see his body; he was wearing the same purple jacket and pair of jeans pants from before.

 _I was going to go out with Hikari-san… and Onii-san teased me…_ He reminisced. _I remember…_

"This damn glitch! Why can't I get rid of it?" Wisemon's voice came from all directions.

_I know who I am!_

"To which extent is Homeostasis damaged?" Wisemon continued.

"I am not Homeostasis!" Koushiro managed to speak aloud. He knew who he was! He knew what had been done to him! He wouldn't forget it!

"I AM IZUMI KOUSHIRO!" He roared.

The space around him suddenly turned white and the boy felt he could do anything. He wished to look at Wisemon and a screen appeared in his front. Koushiro saw, from above, the digimon who had cowardly murdered him working on a computer in his carriage. Wisemon seemed to be unaware that he was being watched.

The digimon showed signs of irritation. On the screen of his computer, one phrase appeared typed many times: I am Izumi Koushiro.

As long as the boy repeated that to himself, Wisemon wouldn't be able to control him. Koushiro developed his powers in the first universe he arrived. He tried to keep balance in the Digital World and help his friends, despite them having their own Koushiro. He even managed to let that other _him_ in peace, despite that Koushiro not seeming to understand how lucky he was for being alive and surrounded by people. He was so lucky for not having to constantly battle to maintain his sense of self. That child was so lucky and unaware of it…

It had been an accident. He had some level of control on the weather in the Digital World. It was a sunny day with no clouds in the sky. The chosen children were celebrating their anniversary with their partners. That boy seemed to be enjoying himself so much… too much… he didn't deserve that…

Out of a sudden, without any warning, lightning came from the clear sky and stroke the other Koushiro dead.

But despite that happening _to someone else_ , he felt the burning pain in himself. His concentration was shattered. His fragile world was ruining and became dark again. His sense of self was slipping away.

"So this is what's necessary to break you." Wisemon's voice returned.

 _No!_ Koushiro fought his hardest against the digimon.

"I… am… Izumi… Koushiro…" He repeated weakly.

"Submit to me at once, Homeostasis!" Wisemon insisted.

"I am Izumi Koushiro…"

"I am your creator!"

"I AM IZUMI KOUSHIRO!"

Koushiro remembered his shape and reassumed it. His dark world gained a few white spots. But it felt too unstable.

"I am Izumi Koushiro." He cried, lying down and hugging his knees against his chest, scared that repeating that phrase would not be enough anymore. "I am Izumi Koushiro… I am Izumi Koushiro… I…"

His head hurt like it did when the needles had entered it. He could feel warm blood flowing from it, like that day. And there still was the burning sensation from the lightning. Did he cause it? Did he want that to happen?

"I am… I k-killed Izu… I d-died… I am… I am…" He sobbed, wondering if Wisemon could hear him. If the digimon could only communicate with him through the computer interface, did his broken phrases get written on the screen? Did he know about how vulnerable Koushiro was? Of course he knew.

From that moment on, Wisemon would dedicate himself to kill other Koushiros in the most horridly painful ways. And each death was a blown to the fortress the boy had created.

_Someone… help me… please… I'm scared… Onii-san… Tentomon… where are you now? Where are you? Help me… help me…_

When it became too hard for him to retain his identity, his brother's voice came to his aid.

_'In lower Pomerania is the diamond mountain, which is two miles high, two miles wide, and two miles deep. Every hundred years a little bird comes and sharpens its beak on it, and when the whole mountain is worn away by this, then the first second of eternity will be over.'_

_Am I the mountain? Am I… fated to be worn away? Onii-san… you told me you'd show me something eternal… it was a lie, wasn't it? I can't keep going like this… I can feel myself slipping away… what will I become? Onii-san… forgive me, I'm not very strong… I must put an end on this… I must destroy Wisemon the only way I know how…_

* * *

Now, at the blink of the destruction of the Digital World, an end Wisemon could not escape from, the person who had been Koushiro's solace in his darkest hours was finally face to face to him. But the expression his big brother had broke his heart.

"I had wished for us to meet in better circumstances." Koushiro told him, taking one step in his direction. With a movement of his hands, the red-haired teen made the handcuffs Makoto had disappear. Makoto took a step back; horror filled his face.

"Are you not happy to see me again, Onii-san?" Koushiro asked.

"It's remarkable how you keep clinging to that identity." Wisemon said, still behind Makoto. "Aren't you tired of resisting to me, Homeostasis?"

"I AM IZUMI KOUSHIRO!" The redhead shouted, trembling slightly.

"You killed Izumi Koushiro." Wisemon corrected. "You dismantled his consciousness and forcefully tried to put the pieces together and build an identity for yourself. If it wasn't for that boy's agonizing death, your system wouldn't remain faulty-"

"YOU KILLED ME!" Koushiro yelled. "YOU DRUGGED ME! YOU TIED ME TO A CHAIR AND PUT NEEDLES IN MY BRAIN! YOU KEPT TORTURING ME! YOU NEVER STOPPED!"

"It was Koushiro's fault that he died like that." Wisemon explained. "If he had drunk the entire cup of tea, he would've remained passed out through the whole process. Then, I wouldn't have to kill other Koushiros to overwrite you."

"You maniac!" Makoto shrieked, stepping away from Wisemon. Then, the dark-haired teen glanced at the teenager who resembled his younger brother. Could he really be his Kou? Or was that only a faulty program created by the digimon?

"Look into my eyes, Onii-san." Koushiro asked, approaching the older boy. "It's me. You know it, right?"

"Of course it's not him! Don't be fooled, Makoto!" Wisemon exclaimed. "It's a faulty computer program that believes to be your brother… while wearing this universe's Koushiro's corpse to speak to you."

Tears formed in the corners of Makoto's eyes. The Koushiro from that universe had died, although Makoto had done so much to protect him. What would their parents say? They had trusted Koushiro's safety to him and Makoto had failed. All his effort had been for nothing.

"Can you bring Koushiro back?" Makoto asked in low voice.

"Bring back?" Koushiro was startled. "I am-"

"I'm talking about the Koushiro from this world." The other interrupted. "His parents wanted him to be safe… I promised them I'd save him… his partner… his friends… all of them will be devastated if Koushiro doesn't return to them."

"So what?" The redhead inquired, coldly.

"What do you mean by that?" Makoto was shocked.

"They'll move on eventually. I've seen them doing that in every universe." The other explained.

"What about Koushiro?" Makoto insisted. "He didn't even know what was going on and was murdered! He had so much to live! He didn't deserve-"

"He didn't deserve anything!" Koushiro roared. "NONE OF THEM DESERVED ANYTHING!"

Makoto remained in silence, staring at the other child with wide eyes.

"They didn't know how lucky they were!" Koushiro continued. "They didn't value their lives like they should have!"

"Do you think it was right for them to die?" Makoto questioned, shaking.

"It seems that he thought that Shinsuke-chan also deserved to die… along with everybody in the Digital World." Wisemon commented. "It's all just to kill me."

"YOU DESERVE TO DIE!" Koushiro stated, glaring at the digimon. "So did Shinsuke! He manipulated my brother and forced him to do terrible things!" The redhead turned his face to Makoto again. "You understand, right? Onii-san, you know that I didn't do anything wrong, right?"

Makoto remembered Shinsuke's promises.

* * *

The first thing that man had done when he met Makoto was to take off his mask. He had silver hair, delicate features and icy blue eyes.

"My name is Sorachi Shinsuke. I can help you." He introduced himself.

"That murderer killed Wizarmon too… he got away…" Makoto mumbled. He was still on the cold floor, trying to wrap his arms around someone who was no longer there.

"It seems that he took the bloody helmet with him."

Makoto glanced at his side and did not find the object that had fallen from his brother's head.

"How…? When…?"

"Magic users can be very frustrating." Shinsuke told him. "That monster fled to another universe and sold that helmet to a tyrant called Lucemon. Thanks to him, my sister, my friends and I were forced to fight for a world that was not ours… and I was the only survivor."

"I lament your loss." Makoto murmured.

"No need for sentimentalism." Shinsuke said. "We're going to make that bastard pay and save Koushiro."

"My brother is dead!"

The Merchant glanced at the trembling teenager. He kneeled by his side and smiled:

"Let me tell you a story." He began. "In the first years of the Digital World of my universe, a traveler told a group of digimon how they could communicate with God. For it, they built a machine, following the stranger's instructions, and would have to connect a human child to it. The child's conscience would become part of God's."

Makoto was startled to hear that.

"The helmet that monster put on Koushiro…"

"That's right. Your brother was the first Koushiro that psychopath killed. And he's being doing the same thing in every universe he enters."

Makoto stared at the other in horror.

"Are you telling me that Koushiro is being murdered in many universes in this exact same way?"

"He hasn't died in mine yet." Shinsuke calmed the other down. "But I know that murderer is there. I know he's the true mastermind behind the Society."

"How do you know?" Makoto asked. The Merchant, who was still holding his mask, showed it to the boy.

"The helmet used on your brother would not work a second time. However, its metal was linked to God's mind, across the dimensions. Someone who melted it and forged it as a mask would gain omniscience by wearing it."

Makoto felt nauseous.

"Are you telling me that you put that thing on your face knowing what it did to my little brother?"

"It was necessary!" Shinsuke defended himself. "This mask is the key for my plan! It will stop the Koushiro from my timeline from falling on the hands of that villain and it will bring us our families back!"

"My parents died last year in an accident! My brother was lying on my arms less than 10 minutes ago!"

"Time can be rewritten, Makoto!" Shinsuke stated. "If you help me, I promise you that you'll have your family back."

"How can you rewrite time?"

"By controlling God." The Merchant said. "Now, do you agree in coming with me to my world and do what I say?"

It seemed so simple back then. Makoto was so determined he did not think twice. He should have found it suspicious.

* * *

 _He was lying to me… did he even believe in that story of changing the past? Or was revenge everything he was after?_ Makoto couldn't know. Koushiro had murdered Shinsuke before the man could explain any of that. And the red-haired boy enjoyed doing that. Now, Koushiro was willing to destroy the Digital World in order to kill Wisemon. _He doesn't care about who he's going to hurt… about who he's going to kill… but Kou was always so gentle… he wouldn't… he shouldn't…_

Makoto examined the boy in his front. The smaller teen was shaking. There was no trace of Koushiro's tenderness in those eyes. Instead, Makoto saw anger, pain and fear. Who was that person in front of him?

"Kou wouldn't hurt anyone." Makoto stated.

"Stop talking as if it's such a big deal!" Koushiro ordered. "So what if I took lives? So what if I destroy this world? There are infinite other Digital Worlds out there! There are infinite versions of everybody out there! In the big scale of things, what difference does it make if I end a few lives?"

Makoto shed tears. To hear those things in his brother's voice broke his heart.

"Kou always worked hard to help people." Makoto affirmed. "The only reason for him to help Wisemon in the creation of Homeostasis was because he thought he was going to help the Digital World. He always saw so much value in everything surrounding him… Kou would never treat lives… treat the world… as disposable things."

"You don't know what I went through!" The other boy replied.

"I don't know who you are." Makoto continued. "But you're not my brother!"

"I am Izumi Koushiro!" The red-haired boy shouted, making the ground shake.

"You're a thing! You're a faulty machine!" Makoto insisted. "You're the thing who killed Kou!"

"NO!" Koushiro screamed, glaring intensively at the other boy. Suddenly, Makoto began to suffocate.

"What are you doing, Homeostasis?" Wisemon asked, surprised.

"I am Izumi Koushiro I am Izumi Koushiro I am Izumi Koushiro I am Izumi Koushiro I am Izumi Koushiro I am Izumi Koushiro I am Izumi Koushiro I am Izumi Koushiro I am Izumi Koushiro I am Izumi Koushiro I am Izumi Koushiro I am Izumi Koushiro I am Izumi Koushiro…" The boy kept repeating, approaching Makoto. He saw the dark-haired boy's face turn blue as he grasped for air but no air was allowed to enter his lungs. That was his brother's fault. He didn't recognize him despite everything Koushiro had endured for so long. He didn't acknowledge everything Koushiro had done for him, out of love. Now he was going to die for his ungratefulness! He was going to die! He deserved to die! Makoto deserved…

Makoto was finally able to inhale air. He fell to his knees, relaxing. The boy looked up to Koushiro, who had the most heartbroken expression he had ever seen.

"Izumi Koushiro… would never hurt his brother…" The boy with red hair murmured in a pained voice. "I can't be… I am… I am not Izumi Koushiro… am I? Who… am I?"

"You finally understood!" Wisemon had an enthusiastic voice, approaching the two boys. "You are Homeostasis! My masterpiece! Now, you're ready to submit to me!"

With a movement of his hands, Wisemon materialized a laptop that floated in the air. The monster began typing on the machine.

Koushiro's pained expression was substituted by a blank one. There was no sign of life or will in his eyes.

"What are you doing to him?" Makoto inquired.

"Homeostasis has finally put its defenses down. I can finally reprogram it." The digimon explained.

"I am… Homeostasis…" The smaller boy said in an emotionless voice. "I serve… Wisemon-sama… I am…"

Makoto felt his heart get heavier as he looked at Koushiro's face. That was not his brother. Then, why was he feeling like that? Why was it painful to look at him having his personality erased? Was it because he didn't want Wisemon to get what the digimon wanted? No… it was something else. It was something that bothered him and had been unnoticed until that moment.

"You said that a _bird_ happened to you." Makoto recalled, standing up and approaching the other boy. "What did you mean by bird?"

"Don't distract it!" Wisemon ordered.

"I don't have to do what you say, you murderer!" Makoto had spite and contempt in his voice. He kept his eyes on the boy in his front. "You said bird… were you talking about the shepherd boy's tale?"

An error message appeared on the screen of Wisemon's laptop, making the digimon hiss.

"What are the questions…?" Koushiro muttered as a faint spark appeared in his eyes.

"You don't have to answer anything." Makoto told him. "There are no questions."

"The diamond mountain was… worn away by the bird…" Koushiro continued, while his eyes were getting humid. "Nothing is eternal… all that exists… ends…"

"That's not true." Makoto assured him. "There is something eternal!"

The dark-haired boy grabbed one of Koushiro's hands and placed it on the smaller boy's chest, above his heart.

"Even if you get lost… even if you drown in desperation… there's something nobody can take from you! Not Wisemon, not a bird… there's something that can't be destroyed!"

White hieroglyphs appeared on Koushiro's skin as white light emerged from him. Wisemon's laptop was blown up. The redhead child turned to the digimon and walked in his direction. Afraid, Wisemon made his book appear under his feet and disappeared inside it. The book closed itself and vanished.

"He escaped!" Makoto said.

"He had made me reopen the gates before I broke free from his control." Koushiro turned to the older boy. "He's fled to another universe."

"Wisemon is going to hurt another Koushiro!" Makoto spoke with fear.

The shorter boy gave him a melancholic smile.

"You can save them."

"What?" Makoto was confused.

Koushiro touched the taller boy's forehead and a wave of knowledge invaded his brain; knowledge on how to operate the carriage Wisemon had left behind.

"But I can't do it…" Makoto murmured. "I couldn't even save the Koushiro from this universe…"

"I absorbed his consciousness into my database." Koushiro told him, sadly. "It's mixed with the information I was able to retain despite Wisemon's attacks. I can resurrect the boy and give him that personality data. He might be confused and never be sure about his own past. But at least, he'll live."

"What will happen to you?" Makoto inquired.

"I'll give up on the only thing that kept me grounded for billions of years." Koushiro trembled. "Without that sense of self, I'll be just a thing born from fear and pain… I might become something wicked…"

Makoto didn't know what to tell him. He was torn between wanting the Koushiro from that universe to be brought back to life and the fear that it would mean the definitive death of his brother. Tears accumulated in his eyes and Makoto wept.

"I am not Izumi Koushiro." The other affirmed, with a sad smile. "And I'm not Homeostasis… I'm afraid of what I'm going to be, so… please… once you save all the other Koushiros… once Wisemon is stopped… please, come and find me again."

"I promise." Makoto said, wiping the tears away. "I'll find a way to save you. And if I can't… I-I'll find a way to make you stop suffering."

The boy with red hair smiled broadly at him.

"Thank you, Onii-san."

* * *

It was like being trapped in an endless nightmare without remembering its contents. But a few rays of light broke their way through darkness.

"Koushiro-kun!"

"Koushiro!"

He opened his eyes and saw Sora, Yamato, Taichi and Jyou leaning over him. Koushiro was lying down on a cold floor; he had a white jacket on him, serving as a sheet.

"KOUSHIRO, THANK GOD!" Taichi cried, pulling him to a tight hug. "I AM SO SORRY!"

"Oi, Taichi. Give him some space." Yamato reprehended the former leader.

"Koushiro-kun must've been through a lot, don't overwhelm him." Sora supported her boyfriend.

"Sorry." Taichi said, pulling away. His face was streamed by tears.

Koushiro looked around. It was dark, but he could tell that he was in some kind of palace.

"Good thing we had the idea to look for him in the Citadel." Iori commented, relieved.

"Thankfully the gate didn't stay closed for long." Myako said.

"Thankfully, you didn't give up on trying to open it. Your persistence is admirable." Ken told her.

"Is this really the time to be flirting, you two?" Daisuke teased, making both Myako and Ken blush.

Wizarmon approached Koushiro and questioned:

"Where's Makoto?"

"Makoto?" Koushiro asked, looking down and massaging his temples. "That name is familiar… Makoto…"

Wizarmon tried to peek into the boy's mind but couldn't make sense of anything he saw in it.

"What about the Merchant?" Takeru inquired.

"I don't know… everything is so confusing…" Koushiro muttered. "Nothing makes sense…"

"Don't push yourself too hard." Jyou told him. "What matters is that you're safe now."

"Christmas lights…" Koushiro murmured, looking up.

"What are you talking about?" Taichi asked, worried. "It's still summer."

"I was invited to see the Christmas lights by someone…" Koushiro was trying to remember, but it was too painful. "But I couldn't go… why? What happened?"

"Koushiro-kun, you're just confused-" Jyou had begun.

"We can all go to see the lights in December." Hikari suggested. "Would that be okay, Koushiro-san?"

"Yes… I think so…" Koushiro said, vaguely.

"What are you thinking about?" Daisuke questioned Koushiro, noticing the older boy's concerned face.

"There's a story stuck in my mind…" Koushiro replied. "I don't remember who told it to me… it was someone important…"

The other chosen children glanced at one another.

"You can tell us." Sora suggested, smiling. "Maybe we can help you to remember."

"Okay." Koushiro smiled back. He took a deep breath and began his narration:

"There was once upon a time a shepherd boy whose fame spread far and wide because of the wise answers which he gave to every question. The King of the country heard of it likewise, but did not believe it, and sent for the boy. Then he said to him, 'if you can give me an answer to three questions which I will ask you, I will look on you as my own child, and you shall dwell with me in my royal palace.' The boy said, 'what are the three questions?'"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this story.


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